Former Pakistani prime minister and opposition party chief Nawaz Sharif on Sunday began to lead the "long march" procession from his residence in Lahore to capital Islamabad, defying the detention order from the government.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister and leader of a main opposition party Nawaz Sharif (R) speakes to his supporters in Lahore, east Pakistan, Mar. 15, 2009. Sharif on Sunday began to lead the "long march" procession from his residence in Lahore to capital Islamabad, defying the detention order from the government. [Xinhua]

While addressing his supporters in Lahore, capital of eastern Punjab province, Sharif, chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), demanded removal of barriers on the way to Islamabad and warned that the party workers will remove them, the official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.

Sharif said that police can not suppress the spirit behind the movement which they have launched for independence of judiciary.

Sharif refused to abide by the detention order conveyed to him by the local administration, the APP said.