ISLAMABAD:Former prime minister Imran Khan called on overseas Pakistanis on Saturday to donate money for an anti-government march in Islamabad that is expected to take place by the end of this month.
After weeks of political turmoil, Khan was removed from power on April 10 in a no-confidence vote by the political parties that formed a new government after his ouster.
He has refused to recognize the new cabinet headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and has been holding mass rallies to demand early elections. The five-year term of present assemblies expires in August next year.
The ex-premier, who has been enjoying the support of expat Pakistanis — the source of billions of dollars in foreign remittances to the South Asian nation — addressed them in a virtual session as part of a campaign to mobilize the public ahead of the planned protest march on the Pakistani capital.
“You all should contribute,” he said. “We need overseas Pakistanis’ help for successful arrangement of our march.”
He added he would give a call for the protest march after May 20.
He urged overseas Pakistanis to speak up on social media and in public campaigns about a “conspiracy” that was behind the removal of his government.
Khan has been alleging that his removal was influenced by the US and that groups opposed to his rule had colluded with Washington. Both the US and current Pakistani government have denied the claims.
He thanked Pakistani expats for organizing demonstrations abroad to protest the ouster of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from power.
“This is a defining moment,” he said. “The nation has united as they never did before.”(Arab News)
