Imran Khan, a former Pakistani prime minister, announced on Tuesday that he and his followers will begin a protest march from the eastern city of Lahore to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on the following Friday in order to demand early elections.
After the Pakistan Supreme Court of Elections found that Ansar Khan had sold gifts from foreign leaders and chiefs of state unlawfully, which resulted in his expulsion from his parliamentary seat, Ansar Khan planned smaller demonstrations last week.
At a press conference held on Tuesday night in Lahore, Khan stated: “I decided to conduct the long march starting from Friday at 11 am from the Freedom Square in Lahore to Islamabad.” It is interesting that there are 380 kilometres between the two cities.
He said: “I participate in the march to pressure the government to announce the holding of elections immediately,” adding that his supporters and members of his party should avoid violence.
Since his dismissal from his post in a vote to block confidence in the Legislative Council last April, Khan has organized protests throughout the country to demand early elections, but the government said it would hold it as scheduled in October or November next year.
The verdict handed down last week made Pakistan’s political and economic uncertainty this year worse.
The 70-year-old cricket player who transitioned into politics was charged with abusing his position as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 to acquire and dispose of gifts collected during foreign trips and valued at more than 140 million Pakistani rupees (634 million dollars)..
In order to demand early elections, Khan announces a march from Lahore to the capital.
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