Opposition leader Imran Khan speaks to anti-government protesters outside Paliament House in Islamabad. Picture courtesy Tehreek-e-Insaf
Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters set up a protest camp outside Parliament House in Islamabad late on Tuesday night to call for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over allegations of vote fraud and corruption.
Last Friday, Pakistan’s main opposition leader Imran Khan and moderate Sunni cleric Tahir ul Qadri separately led their supporters from the eastern city of Lahore to Islamabad. Both leaders had originally set a 48-hour deadline for the Sharif government to resign – a demand which was promptly dismissed by the government as unconstitutional.
Yesterday, along with their supporters, Khan and Qadri forced their way into Islamabad’s Red Zone, which is the site of Parliament House, the Prime Minister’s House, the diplomatic enclave and other state buildings.
"If something happens to me, Nawaz Sharif should not be spared," Khan told his supporters before marching towards the Red Zone. “I will not call off my protests unless Sharif resigns and announces fresh elections.”
Khan, a former cricket star, has accused the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of rigging last year’s general elections, which brought Sharif to power for a record third term. Meanwhile, Qadri is seeking to bring about sweeping reforms through a peaceful revolution and the installation of a national government.
Khan gave Prime Minister Sharif another 24-hour ultimatum to resign after leading his supporters to the Red Zone.
"If Nawaz Sharif does not resign, we will enter the PM House," he threatened.
In a press release, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid accused the demonstrators of reneging on their written commitment to not enter the Red Zone.
"Imran Khan and Tahir ul Qadri used women and children as human shields. Therefore, we showed maximum restraint and let them enter [the] Red Zone," Rashid said.
In a late night press statement, Pakistan’s military urged both the government and protesting parties to end the standoff.
“Buildings in the Red Zone are symbols of the state, and [are] being protected by the army, therefore, the sanctity of these national symbols must be respected,” Army spokesman Asim Bajwa said in the statement.
“The situation requires patience, wisdom and sagacity from all stakeholders to resolve [the] prevailing impasse through meaningful dialogue,” he added.
Meanwhile, local media quoted Prime Minister Sharif as saying that he would neither tender his resignation nor dissolve Parliament.