Pakistan’s ex-premier announces march to Islamabad on Friday

ISLAMABAD (AA) – Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday announced a “long march” this week to the capital Islamabad in a bid to force the government to call fresh general elections.

At a news conference in southeastern city of Lahore, Khan said that his protest will begin from Lahore on Friday, with people joining from across the country.

“This will be the largest long march in the country’s history,” he said, adding that the government, despite his repeated warnings, is not ready to hold the vote earlier than scheduled. The elections are due in late 2023.

Khan, who has described the protest as a movement for the country’s “real independence,” has held a series of anti-government rallies since his ouster from power in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April.

His announcement comes after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified him for failing to disclose gifts and proceeds of their alleged sale he received while serving as prime minister.

The Islamabad High Court, however, said he is not barred from contesting elections in the future.

Earlier this month, he won six of the seven National Assembly seats in a by-election he said was a referendum on his popularity.

In response to a query about the government’s possible use of force to stop protesters, he claimed that his protest march will be peaceful and that he has no intention of entering the capital’s red zone.

“We will remain peaceful as families will join us,” Khan said, adding that the government will be held accountable “if they use any force against peaceful people.”

The government has already promised that demonstrators will be barred from entering Islamabad, and that it will deploy some 30,000 law enforcers to encircle the capital for protection.

The authorities have also sent hundreds of containers into Islamabad to barricade all entry points.

Khan also launched a protest march to Islamabad in May, which he later called off, giving the government a six-day ultimatum to announce early elections.

His followers had entered D-Chowk, near the parliament, resulting in clashes and police firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.