Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan early Thursday demanded that the government set new elections in the next six days or he will again march on the capital along with 3 million people.
“I am giving you six days, if you don’t announce elections I will come back to Islamabad again with all Pakistanis,” Khan said.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party addressed the rally of thousands on Islamabad’s Jinnah Avenue before concluding the protest.
Khan in his address claimed that five of his supporters were killed in the violence across the country.
Imran Khan earlier announced that he was committed to stage a sit-in in Islamabad until the government dissolves assemblies and announces elections. But he said that he decided to call off the protest after witnessing excessive use of police force against peaceful protestors, saying “they [government] is pushing the nation towards anarchy” and trying to create a divide between the nation and police.
The government earlier had summoned troops to guard important buildings, including the parliament and offices of the president and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The measures came following clashes between demonstrators and police.
Clashes between PTI supporters and police erupted in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad where riot police fired tear gas to push back demonstrators who hurled stones as they overcame road blockades to reach Islamabad.
Imran Khan lauded the “bravery of marchers who stood their grounddespite shelling and tear gas attacks”. The D Chowk area in Islamabad was filled with smoke as police continue firing tear gas on protestors for several hours to disperse them.