'Obedient Khan will have to go': Pakistan Opposition announces long march to oust PTI govt

Pakistan's Opposition alliance PDM on Sunday held its final anti-government rally in Lahore despite a ban on the gathering of more than 300 people owing to an increase in COVID-19 cases across the country. Top coalition leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement announced a long march to Islamabad to force Prime Minister Imran Khan to resign.

According to a Geo News report, Pakistani Muslim League (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz in her address at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday urged supporters to answer the call for a march to Islamabad, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari formally announced that PDM is now headed to the capital.

'We will march towards Islamabad'

During the rally, Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (F) (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman was quoted as saying, "We will march towards Islamabad in late January or early February." He further said, "We will no longer allow the illegitimate government to rule. We will only rest after it is brought to an end."

Addressing the rally via video link, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo and former PM Nawaz Sharif once again lashed out at the armed forces, accusing them of being involved in political matters. "Stop political engineering factories in agencies," said the 70-year-old three-time former Prime Minister.

He has repeatedly blamed Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and spy agency ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed for Pakistan's current situation. "They say, don't take names? Tell me, what should we do? Is Imran Khan alone responsible for the predicament the country is in?" Sharif asked. Pakistan's powerful Army has denied meddling in politics. Prime Minister Khan also denies that the Army helped him win the election in 2018.

'This obedient Khan will have to go now'

Maryam Nawaz also said the institutions should refrain from interfering in politics. "Imran Khan is only interested in saving his job by serving his masters. This obedient Khan will have to go now," she said. Terming Imran Khan a 'Pharoah', she said this selected premier has become a liability and even those who brought him to power are worried. "The selectors now have realised how much incompetent and inept this man is. The time has come to get rid of him," she said.

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PDM's Minar-i-Pakistan public meeting was the last one in its first phase of rallies that had begun over two months ago. The alliance has announced that all Opposition parties will resign from the national and provincial assemblies to pressure the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government to hold fresh elections. The PDM has been formed against the Pakistan Army's interference in politics and installing "puppet" Prime Minister Khan through a manipulated election. The next general elections in Pakistan are scheduled for 2023.

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(With agency inputs)