Pakistan: Imran Khan to continue protests against 'imported & corrupt' Sharif government

Amid the crippling economic downturn, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday continued his calls for a protest rally against the incumbent Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's government. In a video message, the ex-Pak premier urged his supporters to gather at the Islamabad Parade Ground to voice discontent against what he describes as the "imported government"- in a context that the West allegedly conspired to bring Sharif to power. The demonstration rally is scheduled to be held on July 2 (Saturday) for supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) party from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

"Those in Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Multan and our big cities... I am telling everyone that you have to carry out protests on Saturday and I want you to fully participate, not for me, but the future of you and your children," Khan said, as quoted by the Dawn newspaper.

Khan went on to allege that the Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is trying to wage fear among the public in order to hide their "illicit" practices. "Break this fear before it makes you a slave," Khan warned. His comments come a week after he announced that the rallies against the Islamabad government will continue until fresh elections are announced.

'Failed state'

Khan began his incessant calls for protest rallies soon after he was ousted from the National Assembly over a no-confidence motion. The former PM reiterated that he will not "remain quiet" until the "corrupt" government ensured dates for new polls were declared. He also slammed Islamabad for the "anti-people" fiscal budget and amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws. Khan held the government responsible for the compounding economic and financial crises, saying that Sharif's cabinet has pushed the country to a "failed state" and has made no efforts to "fix it."

Khan accused of manipulating polls

Former Pakistan Army Brigadier Muzaffar Ali Ranjha took a swipe at Khan, calling him a "compulsive liar" who attempted to rig the 2013 elections. The Brigadier's remarks came after Khan accused him of manipulating the said polls in favour of PML-N. "It is below me to respond to a compulsive liar like Imran Khan. I consider it below my dignity to respond to accusations levelled by a liar," Brigadier Ranjha said.

(Image: AP)