Amid sometimes violent political clashes, the Pakistani government coalition has called on its supporters to stage mass protests tomorrow. The appeal follows the release of popular opposition leader Imran Khan, who left a courthouse in the capital Islamabad under tight security on Friday for his hometown of Lahore. Khan was released on bail.
The call for protests in Islamabad can be understood as an attempt to demonstrate the strength of the coalition government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Khan’s supporters. A conflict between the two camps has been smoldering for months. In view of the economic crisis, the South Asian country is divided.
The tensions of recent months have culminated in serious unrest after the ex-prime minister was arrested on Tuesday. In around 100 cases, Khan has to answer in court. Experts see the procedure as politically motivated. The 70-year-old is likely to speculate on re-election in the parliamentary elections planned for autumn. If convicted, he could be banned from office.
