JAKARTA - Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced he would lead his supporters in a protest march from the eastern city of Lahore to the capital Islamabad on Friday, calling for an acceleration of the implementation of elections in the country.
The announcement comes after protests by supporters of Khan last week, when Pakistan's highest election court found him guilty, for unlawfully selling gifts received from foreign officials and heads of state.
The Pakistan Election Commission ruled that Khan, 70, was removed from his seat in Parliament, but did not order another disqualification from public office, which Pakistan's law says could last up to five years.
"I have decided to launch a long march on Friday at 11 a.m. from Liberty Square in Lahore to Islamabad," the cricketer who turned into the politician said at a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday evening.
"I am protesting to pressure the government to immediately announce elections," he continued.
However, Khan urged supporters and members of his party to avoid violence during the 380-kilometer march.
It is known that Khan was ousted as prime minister through a no-confidence motion in the legislature in April.
Since then, he has held protests across the country calling for faster elections, but the government says it will be held on schedule in October or November next year.
Last week's ruling added to the political and economic problems affecting Pakistan this year.
It is known that Khan was accused of abusing the post of prime minister from 2018 to 2022, to buy and sell state-owned gifts received during overseas visits and worth more than $630.000.
Political instability has also sparked economic uncertainty, with international rating agencies questioning whether the current government can maintain difficult economic policies in the face of political pressures and upcoming elections.
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