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DPA
Islamabad
Pakistan’s government on Saturday offered to hold talks with protesting opposition leaders as tens of thousands of activists continued to rally in the capital to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Our doors are open for talks but the prime minister’s resignation is out of question,” Defence Minister Pervez Khattak told reporters.
The opposition on Friday gave Khan 48 hours to step down, piling pressure on the leader who is already under fire over the country’s ailing economy and is called a puppet of the powerful military.
More than 100,000 activists from a range of opposition groups, including that of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, were estimated at the protest camp erected in central Islamabad.
Security was on high alert in Islamabad and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi to cope with possible violence. Roads were deserted and streets were empty in the capital.
Khattak said the government should not be blamed for the consequences if the protest should devolve into clashes with security forces.
Maulana Fazalur Rehman, the head of Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI) party and who is leading the activists at the camp, has threatened to escalate the protests if Khan doesn’t resign.
A case against Rehman for inciting people to violence is to be filed on Monday, Khattak said.
Senior government officials tried to approach opposition leaders for talks, but the two sides did not meet because the activists are awaiting the deadline to pass.
“We are ready for talks but will not withdraw our demand of PM’s resignation,” said Akram Durrani, who heads a committee of nine opposition parties.
Durrani said that should Khan fail to resign, there could be strikes, blockades and resignations from the national and provincial assemblies.
The opposition said last year’s national elections that brought Khan to power were rigged by the powerful military to install a government of the choice of generals.
Pakistan’s economy has taken a nosedive since Khan took office last year with inflation touching a 10-year high and thousands losing jobs.
Islamabad
Pakistan’s government on Saturday offered to hold talks with protesting opposition leaders as tens of thousands of activists continued to rally in the capital to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Our doors are open for talks but the prime minister’s resignation is out of question,” Defence Minister Pervez Khattak told reporters.
The opposition on Friday gave Khan 48 hours to step down, piling pressure on the leader who is already under fire over the country’s ailing economy and is called a puppet of the powerful military.
More than 100,000 activists from a range of opposition groups, including that of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, were estimated at the protest camp erected in central Islamabad.
Security was on high alert in Islamabad and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi to cope with possible violence. Roads were deserted and streets were empty in the capital.
Khattak said the government should not be blamed for the consequences if the protest should devolve into clashes with security forces.
Maulana Fazalur Rehman, the head of Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI) party and who is leading the activists at the camp, has threatened to escalate the protests if Khan doesn’t resign.
A case against Rehman for inciting people to violence is to be filed on Monday, Khattak said.
Senior government officials tried to approach opposition leaders for talks, but the two sides did not meet because the activists are awaiting the deadline to pass.
“We are ready for talks but will not withdraw our demand of PM’s resignation,” said Akram Durrani, who heads a committee of nine opposition parties.
Durrani said that should Khan fail to resign, there could be strikes, blockades and resignations from the national and provincial assemblies.
The opposition said last year’s national elections that brought Khan to power were rigged by the powerful military to install a government of the choice of generals.
Pakistan’s economy has taken a nosedive since Khan took office last year with inflation touching a 10-year high and thousands losing jobs.
