ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday warned the government of a fresh round of protests to force early elections in Pakistan, telling his supporters to wait for his call to take to the streets.
Ousted via a parliamentary vote in April, Khan has drawn thousands of supporters to massive rallies across the country, demanding the government hold early elections in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, however, has rejected Khan’s demands and said general elections will be held next year as per schedule. On Friday, Khan warned his followers to get ready for the next, ‘critical’ phase of his anti-government movement.
“I have come to the conclusion that people are ready if transparent elections are not held, people are ready to take to the roads to force [early] polls,” Khan said at a rally in Pakistan’s Gujranwala city. “Be prepared, I’ll give you [supporters] the call [to protest] anytime.”
The ex-premier said that he has written letters to all his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party district organisations to prepare and mobilise the masses for his call to protest.
“Wait for the call,” he said. “Entire Pakistan should get ready for it.”
Khan, however, did not specify the nature of the protest. He refused to say whether it will be a long march to Pakistan’s capital city, Islamabad, shutting down major cities of the country or separate protests and sit-ins across Pakistan, options that he has threatened to use against the government.
The former prime minister accused the government of being scared of elections and postponing polls on at least thirteen national and provincial assembly seats that were scheduled to be held on September 11, 25 and October 2.
Khan was himself contesting elections from nine national assembly constituencies. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Thursday that it was postponing the elections, citing devasting floods in the country and terrorism as the main reasons.
“We see they [the government] are running away from elections,” he said. “They have cancelled the by-polls because they knew they will be defeated.”
The PTI chairman has repeatedly accused PM Sharif and Pakistan’s political parties that are now part of the coalition government, of removing him from office through a Washington-backed conspiracy.
The U.S. and the government have vehemently rejected the allegations.
“I want to question those who imposed them [the government] through a conspiracy, do you not worry about Pakistan,” he asked. “We are going down, our economy is deteriorating and economic stability cannot be achieved as long as political stability remains elusive.”
In a veiled reference to the country’s all-powerful military establishment, Khan said he wanted to speak to those who wield power and authority in the country. “The way the government is taking this country down, people are suffering—the nation will hold you responsible if the country keeps going down,” he said.
“I know you say that you’re neutral,” Khan added. “You could have stopped it, but you did nothing,” he said.
Khan warned that Pakistan’s rapidly deteriorating economy could compromise the country’s national security, adding that he may convince around 10 million overseas Pakistanis to invest in the country to stabilise its economy.
“Even if five hundred thousand of them invested in Pakistan, we will get the required dollars and don’t have to beg [for money],” he added.