In his first public appearance since the assassination attempt on him this month, the leader of the Insaf Party and dismissed Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the dissolution of the two local governments in the Khyber and Punjab provinces, and the resignation of all his party's local parliamentarians.
In a speech he delivered to a crowd of his followers in the city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital, Islamabad, this evening, Saturday, Imran Khan affirmed his refusal to remain under a corrupt government or to be part of the current corrupt system, he said.
On the other hand, the Pakistani government refused to acquiesce in the demand to organize early elections, and called on the Insaf Party to cancel the gathering because it had no purpose, according to the Minister of Interior, who confirmed the existence of security risks mentioned in the reports of the intelligence services.
A crowd of supporters of Imran Khan's Insaf Party gathered in the city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital, Islamabad, at the invitation of the party, which is pressing for early general elections.
Today's march is the culmination of the so-called "long march" of Imran Khan's party to pressure the government to call early elections before Parliament's term ends in October next year.
Imran Khan کا Tamam Sobaei Assembliyaں Analyze کRNے کا Announcement # چLO_چلو_پنڈی_چلو pic.twitter.com/jiXnl44cSz
- PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@PTIKPOfficial) November 26, 2022
The Pakistani authorities have tightened the closure of the capital from 4 entrances linking it to the neighboring city of Rawalpindi, with the Insaf Party's insistence on continuing its mass protests.
Authorities have imposed tight security around Islamabad to prevent Khan's supporters from marching to government buildings, with thousands of security personnel deployed and shipping containers blocking roads, and Pakistani police said any attempt by Hizb-e-Insaf supporters to enter the capital this time would be dealt with firmly.
Earlier, the French News Agency said that Imran Khan will participate today for the first time in a public gathering since the attempt on his life on the third of November.
The Insaf Party quoted Khan as saying in a tweet, "My life is in danger. Despite my injury, I am going to Rawalpindi for the sake of the nation. My nation will come to Rawalpindi for me." The protest will be organized on a vast open land between the capital Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and the latter includes the headquarters of the powerful army. in the country.
Move Ansaf Jhelum as a convoy!
#chlo_chlo_پنڈی_چLO pic.twitter.com/m7Bppja0X1
— PTI (@PTIofficial) November 26, 2022
Today, Saturday, the Imran Party, on its Twitter account, published pictures and videos of cars arriving in the city of Rawalpindi to participate in the protest march.
On Friday, Pakistani Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan should postpone the resumption of his protest march from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, citing threats of attacks by militant groups.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah warned the Insaf party led by dismissed Prime Minister Imran Khan against participating in the protest rally.
The minister said in a press conference that security threats are still haunting the party and its leader, referring to the repercussions of the assassination attempt that Khan was subjected to earlier this month.
He added: I call for canceling the gathering because it is useless, and because of the existence of a real security threat that the government unanimously affirmed to all the intelligence services, and where it is feared that the gathering will be targeted by a terrorist organization, and everyone knows how Imran Khan's personal life is in danger.