Imran Khan's supporters take to the streets to protest the PM's ouster

Members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gathered in huge numbers and took out rallies to oppose Imran Khan’s ouster as the Prime Minister through a no-confidence vote moved by the opposition leaders. Rallies took place across Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Lahore, Jhelum, Abbottabad, Malakand, Peshawar, Khyber, Jhang and Quetta.

His supporters raised slogans against the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a group of political parties including the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) or PML (N) that worked together to oust Imran Khan through no-confidence motion.

Former Prime Minister Khan shared a 30-second-long video from Lahore and tweeted, “Never have such crowds come out so spontaneously and in such numbers in our history, rejecting the imported government led by crooks.”

He also said earlier in the day that this is “the beginning of a renewed struggle for independence against an external conspiracy to change power.” He added, “It is always the people of a country who protect and defend their sovereignty and democracy.”

PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry also called on people to stage protests after Isha prayers while speaking to the media in Islamabad, news agency PTI reported.

The joint opposition succeeded in ousting Khan when 174 members of the 342-member National Assembly voted against him on April 10. With this, Khan became the first-ever Pakistani prime minister in history to be ousted from the post via a no-trust vote.

Meanwhile, leader of opposition, Shahbaz Sharif met former president Asif Ali Zardari and his son and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a day prior to the election of the new premier to discuss the current political situation in Pakistan.

The two sides discussed electoral reforms and pledged to work together in public interest. Sharif is likely to form a coalition government and give some key ministries to the PPP.

(With agency inputs)

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