Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan Increasingly Urged, Street Action Demands His Resignation Strengthens

Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Tens of thousands of opposition supporters rallied on Sunday. October 18th in Karachi City. The action is part of a movement to overthrow Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The trigger, demonstrators believe Imran's victory in the 2018 Election is fraudulent. The nine major opposition parties formed a joint work plan called the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) last month to start a national uprising against the government.

"You have taken jobs from people. You have taken food away from the people twice a day," opposition leader Maryam Nawaz said of Khan during a speech at the rally, which drew a growing number of people to the second meeting in three days.

She is the daughter and political heir of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. "Our farmers are starving in their homes ... Our youth are disappointed," said another opposition leader, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The protests come as the country's economy - which had been in decline before the global pandemic - is struggling with double-digit inflation and negative growth. Citizens blame Khan's policies for fueling this catastrophe.

Khan's two-year term has also seen increased censorship and a crackdown on dissent, critics and opposition leaders. "Inflation has broken the backs of the poor forcing many people to beg to feed their children," said Faqeer Baloch, 63, at a rally in Karachi.

Demonstrators, during the demonstration, also said they were so fed up that they would not be able to wait for the next election in 2023. "It is time for this government to go now," he said as the crowd chanted, "Come on Imran go!"

The protests in Karachi came after protests by the alliance in the eastern city of Gujranwala on Friday, October 16, which were the biggest demonstrations against Khan since he took office.

Speaking via video link from London to the Gujranwala meeting, former PM Nawaz Sharif accused Army Commander General Qamar Javed Bajwa of rigging the 2018 elections. Qamar is said to have orchestrated his overthrow in 2017, in what he calls court-assisted false accusations.

Maryam said her party was not anti-military, but "if you said we would respect those who would smash ballots under their boots, it would not happen."

The military, which denies meddling in politics or electoral errors, has not responded specifically to Sharif's allegations. Khan, who ruled an anti-corruption program and denied the army helped him win, has defended the military.