Imran Khan withdraws protest, says will return to Islamabad if polls not announced in 6 days
India Today
With a stern warning to the government, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has withdrawn his protest march after reaching Islamabad.
Announce election in six days, or will return to Islamabad with the 'entire nation', former Pakistan Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan warned the government as he addressed the protestors in Islamabad.
"He denounced the 'tactics' used by the 'imported government, including raids and arrests, to stop the PTI's march and thanked the Supreme Court (SC) for taking notice of the matter," the Dawn reported.
Imran Khan, who was ousted as the Prime Minister of Pakistan in April, called on his supporters to gather at Islamabad’s D-Chowk for a ‘peaceful’ protest rally to demand fresh elections. His call for the protest came after Pakistan's Supreme Court directed authorities to allow the protest rally in the national capital and restrained them from arresting the cricketer-turned-politician.
The protesters gathered in thousands and started removing the barricades, which led to a clash with the police.
The ruling party said that Khan’s decision to hold a rally at the D-Chowk was a violation of the Supreme Court that had asked his party to organise the rally at a ground in H-9 Sector of the capital city.
Soon after the clash broke out, police arrested hundreds of PTI workers and some of its leaders to stop them from joining the protest being dubbed as ‘Azadi March’. TV channels showed the police firing teargas and beating up PTI's supporters in the Punjab province. Several women and children were reportedly injured in the police firing in Lahore's Liberty Chowk area.
