ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has announced Rs5 million ($23,000) financial compensation for families of each of the four people killed during Imran Khan’s anti-government march on Islamabad, a government notification said Thursday, as the supporters of the former prime minister once again started moving toward the capital. 

Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April, has been leading the march on Islamabad from Lahore since October 28, hoping to force the government into announcing early elections. 

Khan resumed his march on Thursday a week after he was injured in a gun attack on his container truck in Wazirabad city. The attack killed one person and injured another nine people. 

Three others, including a woman reporter working with a private news channel, previously died during the anti-government protest on different occasions. 

“The prime minister, while expressing his grief over the tragic deaths during the recent long march of a political party, has been pleased to announce financial assistance of Rupees five (05) million each in favor of legal heirs of the following deceased persons,” a notification issued from PM Shehbaz Sharif’s office said. 

The deceased persons included Moazzam Gondal, Sadaf Naeem, Samir Nawaz and Hassan Baloch. 

“The prime minister has further been pleased to direct that the cheque(s) of financial assistance shall be handed over to the families of the deceased persons immediately after completing the procedural requirements,” the notification read. 

Khan, who has been holding protest rallies against the government, says his ouster was part of a United States-backed “foreign conspiracy” for pursuing an independent foreign policy for Pakistan. 

Washington and Khan’s opponents deny the claim. 

Also on Thursday, PM Sharif’s government issued a summary of expenses it had been bearing to provide security to Khan. 

It said it was spending Rs21.9 million ($101,126) monthly and Rs263 million ($1.2 million) annually to ensure security of the former premier. 

Khan has not been physically leading the march since being injured. His supporters are expected to reach Rawalpindi within the next two weeks, from where he will lead them to Islamabad.