ISLAMABAD HAS ENDURED THREE SIT-IN DEMONSTRATIONS SINCE 2014

Patience is wearing thin among some residents of the Pakistani capital enduring another round of anti-government protests, with tens of thousands of opposition supporters showing no sign of giving up despite the onset of winter rain.

Huge crowds descended on Islamabad from various parts of the country a week ago, denouncing the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan as illegitimate and calling for him to step down.

It is the first concerted challenge that the cricket starturned-politician has faced since he won a general election last year promising to end corruption and create jobs.

Imran has dismissed the calls to resign and his government, which the opposition says won power after a fraudulent election with the support of the military, has denounced the protests as a threat to democracy. The military denies favouring any party saying it supports the constitution.

The protesters are occupying a large open area alongside one of Islamabad’s main roads, the latest in a succession of drawnout sit-ins over recent years, including one Imran himself had led against the previous government.

“This is the third sit-in since 2014 in Islamabad — it has to stop if this country wants to progress” said office worker Ghazanfar Ali, 47. The capital’s sole public transport system, which runs by the protest site, has been suspended and Ali said he had to spend twice as much getting to work. Student Zeeshan Azeem, 17, said the internet had been down at his home all week, which he blamed on government attempts to disrupt the protesters’ communications.

“We’re forced to travel a considerable distance from the protest site to use the internet,” said Azeem, clutching his books as he headed home from school.