ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday said he had called off this week’s anti-government protest fearing violence and bloodshed, rejecting reports he had reached an agreement with the country’s powerful military establishment.

Khan, who was ousted after losing a no-confidence vote last month, has refused to accept the new government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, saying his administration was ousted as part of a “foreign conspiracy.”

Since the fall of his government, Khan has held rallies all across the country and on Wednesday marched to the capital with thousands of supporters, calling on the government to dissolve assemblies and announce early elections. The government blocked all roads leading to the federal capital and rounded up supporters, while Khan’s supporters clashed with security forces in major cities, including the capital, Islamabad, the southern port city of Karachi and the eastern city of Lahore.

While Khan had earlier vowed not to leave Islamabad until a date for elections was announced he addressed his supporters in the early hours of Thursday morning and ended the protest after giving the government a new ultimatum: announce elections in six days or he would return to Islamabad again. 

“No one should consider this [calling off the march] as our weakness,” Khan told reporters on Friday. “And no one should also think that we struck a deal with anyone.”

“I’m hearing people say we struck a deal with the establishment. We have not struck a deal with anyone,” he added. 

Khan said he had decided to call off the march as he feared bloodshed and conflict would take place in the country. 

“If I was not concerned about the country … I knew that bloodshed would take place that night,” he said, referring to police firing tear gas at protesters and baton charging them.

Khan warned the government he would march to the capital again if it did not announce an election date.

“Let me clarify that if they do not announce clearly the date for elections after dissolving the assemblies,” he said, “I will come out [to protest] again and this time, with preparation.”