Imran Khan spoke to PTI workers outside Parliament at the sit-in today, strongly criticizing the U.S. and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Khan called Sharif a “jackal of the country who is hiding in his Prime Minister house,” adding that he thinks Nawaz “is a slave of U.S. because all of his assets and money is abroad.”
U.S. should not interfere, says Khan
The PTI leader led the charge against the U.S., demanding that the U.S. State Department retract its statement about internal affairs in Pakistan. In a statement, the agency said Sharif was Pakistan’s elected government head and that Washington won’t support any additional changes to Pakistan’s democratic system.
On the PTI’s official Twitter feed, Khan added that he will not leave Islamabad until Sharif resigns. He has maintained since last year’s elections that they were rigged, although Sharif has denied the allegations of vote rigging and corruption.
Imran Khan pulls out of talks
The BBC reports that Khan has pulled out of talks with the Pakistani government until the prime minister resigns. The Pakistani government and Khan’s opposition group entered into talks last nights after a rally in which thousands of Khan’s supporters gathered in front of parliament where security is high. Parliament declared the PTI chairman’s week-long campaign against the Pakistani government unconstitutional.
In the talks last night, the PTI said it gave six demands, including Sharif’s resignation, in order to continue negotiations. However, officials with the Pakistani government said their demands didn’t have a legal basis. Pakistan’s Supreme Court summoned Imran Khan and anti-government cleric Tahirul Qadri to appear today and explain the protest, which is aimed at bringing down the government.
Khan calls all Pakistanis
So far, the protests have remained peaceful so far, although PTI is now calling for all Pakistanis to go to Azadi Square “at all cost.” Khan’s party also continued to tweet statements alleging further corruption in the Pakistani government.
This corrupt man is now planning to increase electricity rates – he himself does not pay for electricity bills. #AzadiSquare
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 21, 2014
The group also warned of retaliation for criminal activity and any potential violence against protestors:
I will not forgive anyone who attacks peaceful protestors @ImranKhanPTI #AzadiSquare #AzadiMarchPTI — PTI (@PTIofficial) August 21, 2014
Nawaz’s gov listen do not make a mistake by attacking innocent ppl. @ImranKhanPTI #AzadiSquare #AzadiMarchPTI
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 21, 2014
