Pakistan’s anti-government protesters on Saturday had a quiet day in the capital’s high security area where they have been camping demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation, even as opposition leader Imran Khan vowed to continue the sit-in until his goals are achieved.
Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Khan promised his supporters that he would stay in front of Parliament till Mr. Sharif quits.
“There are thousands of people here who are not ready to go away without your [Sharif] resignation,” he said on Saturday.
Mr. Khan’s supporters from Islamabad and Rawalpindi go to their homes in the night, attend to their duties during the day but turn up for the protest in the evening.
Earlier, Mr. Khan moved his makeshift stage, set up on a shipping container mounted on a truck, from in front of the Secretariat buildings to the D-Chowk facing Parliament.
Cleric Tahir-ul Qadri of Pakistan Awami Tehreek is also staying close to Mr. Khan’s camp. His supporters have vacated the parking lot of Parliament and are now sitting near the Constitution Avenue.
Mr. Khan wants the ruling PML(N) government’s ouster over alleged rigging in last year’s polls which his party lost, while Mr. Qadri wants to bring a revolution in the country.
Both the leaders are agitating since August 14.
Mr. Khan’s supporters have refused to vacate the Avenue despite the Supreme Court asking them to open one side of the road for traffic.
Mr. Khan and Mr. Qadri have held separate talks with the government for a political agreement to end the protests.
The two sides have expressed satisfaction over the talks but so far no major breakthrough has been achieved to end the crisis.
The government had proposed a judicial commission to probe the alleged rigging while Mr. Sharif has shown willingness to resign if the charges against him are proved.
Xi’s visit postponed Meanwhile China and Pakistan have agreed to postpone President Xi’s state visit to Pakistan, which was scheduled to take place later this month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said in a statement in Beijing on Saturday night.
The two countries made the decision in view of the current political situation in Pakistan, Mr. Qin said. The postponement is regarded as a diplomatic setback as Mr. Xi will be going ahead with the India visit omitting Pakistan for the first time.
