Pakistan government supporters stage rare sit-in, protest release of former Premier Imran Khan

Convoys of buses and vehicles filled with Pakistani government supporters are flooding the main road leading to the country's capital on Monday to protest the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Convoys of buses and vehicles filled with Pakistani government supporters are flooding the main road leading to the country's capital on Monday to protest the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Thousands are making their way to the Supreme Court for a rare sit-in against its decision last week in support of Khan, following his arrest in a graft case. The 70-year-old former premier was released on bail and given protection from arrest until later this month.

The call to protest is a sign of escalating tensions between the judiciary and the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who replaced Khan after his ouster in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April 2022.

Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of 13 political parties affiliated with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, had called for the sit-in. The radical Islamist political party Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam is leading the protest call.

Also as part of the alliance, Pakistan People's Party led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari -- the son of assassinated Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto -- is also joining the protest.

The sit-in is expected to take place despite a ban on rallies and public gatherings that the government imposed in the wake of the crisis.

"Our peaceful protest is against Chief Justice (Umar Ata Bandial) for facilitating the release of Imran Khan," said Fazalur Rehman, the head of Pakistan Democratic Alliance. As he spoke, more than 3,000 supporters had already gathered near the sprawling court building.