Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday began a "long march" from Lahore to the capital, Islamabad, in a bid to pressure the government to hold early elections.

The former international cricket star was ousted last April in a vote of no confidence in him after a number of members of his coalition defected, but he still enjoys wide popular support in the South Asian country.

Tens of thousands of supporters of the former prime minister rallied in Lahore, capital of Punjab province, which is ruled by Khan's PTI party and an allied political party, to join the rally amid tight security.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to join the convoy, which will cover a distance of about 380 km from Lahore to Islamabad over the next week, and will stop on the way to hold election rallies and gather more demonstrators.

In a video he posted on Twitter, Khan appeared standing on a tall truck with other party leaders, in front of crowds of protesters chanting anti-government slogans.

True Azadi March

#Haqqi_Azadi_Lang_Marche pic.twitter.com/k4IipvhrTB

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 28, 2022

As the march began, protesters chanted, "The imported government is not acceptable," referring to the current government led by Shahbaz Sharif.

Security was tightened in the capital, with hundreds of shipping containers placed at major intersections to prevent marchers from advancing.

Clashes erupted between Khan's supporters and the police during a similar demonstration last May.

The march comes at a time when the coalition government is struggling to revive the deteriorating economy and deal with the repercussions of the devastating floods that submerged a third of the country and are estimated to cost nearly $30 billion.

Niklo Pakistan Ki Khater High Show Shan Ki Khater# Real_Azadi_Lang_March pic.twitter.com/WQDatXuthq

— Ambreen PTI (@AmbreenPTI1) October 28, 2022

Disagreement with the army

A segment fed up with the family's control of political life elected Imran Khan as prime minister in 2018 thanks to his pledge to fight corruption, but his mismanagement of the economy and his differences with the military, which was accused of supporting him to reach power, ended his rule.

Khan has repeatedly denounced the military, which he accused of trying to marginalize him, while he has filed several legal challenges since his ouster.

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#haqiqi_azadi_march ka پاilla den ur lahore n faisalah keptan ky right mں sana ya ہے.

Pakistan

pic.twitter.com/m4DQL7r704

— Mian Abbad Farooq NA-120 (@FarooqAbbad) October 28, 2022

And on Thursday, the head of the country's main intelligence service and head of military public relations held an unprecedented press conference in which he defended these institutions in the face of Khan's accusations of meddling in politics.

The military has ruled Pakistan for most of its 75-year history, and criticism of the security establishment has long been seen as a red line.

"I'm not afraid of anything, not even arrest," Khan said in a video posted on Thursday night.

He added that the people are asking state institutions to play only one role, which is to hold free and fair elections, to get the country out of the political crisis.