OUSTED PAK PM KHAN ISSUES ULTIMATUM ON ELECTIONS AFTER MASS RALLY
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan disbanded a protest march by supporters on Thursday after clashes with police outside parliament, but threatened that they would return unless an election was called within six days.
Khan had rallied thousands of supporters to Islamabad, with plans to occupy sensitive parts of the capital until Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave in to his demand for new polls, but Khan told his followers on Thursday morning to step back, while delivering a fresh ultimatum.
“I’m giving you six days. You announce elections in six days,” Khan said from atop a truck after he and thousands of his supporters reached the city.
He said parliament should be dissolved to hold elections in June, and warned the government that he will lead a march on the capital again if it didn’t meet his demands.
Khan’s attempt to destabilise Sharif’s month-old coalition government risks fuelling tensions during an economic crisis that has forced Pakistan to seek urgent help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The government convened a joint session of parliament on Thursday to discuss the economic crisis following talks with IMF officials in Doha a day earlier. The IMF said that considerable progress had been made, but emphasised the urgent need for Pakistan to remove fuel and energy subsidies.
Khan has said that the confidence vote that toppled him last month was the result of a US conspiracy, and he is demanding a fresh election to show he has national support.
He had reportedly fallen out with the country’s powerful military before he was removed by a united opposition, that accused him of mismanaging the government, the economy and foreign relations.
Pakistan’s two main parties, led by the rival Bhutto and Sharif families, partnered up to oust Khan. These two political dynasties have ruled the South Asian nation of over 220 million people several times before, whereas Khan had barely come close to power until he emerged as the winner in the last election nearly four years ago.