Tens of thousands of Pakistan demand they want Khan back in power
Tens of thousands of supporters of deposed Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have marched in cities across the country, saying they want him back in power.
Khan, 69, was dismissed in the early hours of Sunday after losing a no-confidence vote, paving the way for him to be replaced by a politician from the opposition alliance.
The demonstrators waved large flags of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and shouted slogans at huge allies in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan and Quetta after Iftar in Ramadan.
Protests were also staged in Malakand, Khyber, Jhang, Okara, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Lower Dir, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Swat, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Nowshera, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mandi Bahauddin and other cities.
Imran Khan thank supporters
Following the demonstration against the unpopular ouster, Imran thanked his supporters for incredilbe outpouring of support and emotions to “protest against US-backed regime change” in Pakistan.
“Never have such crowds come out so spontaneously and in such numbers in our history, rejecting the imported govt led by crooks” he tweeted.
Celebrities join protests in support of Imran Khan
Dozens of celebrities, including the likes of Syra Yousuf, Zara Noor Abbas, and Haroon Shahid participated in protests organized by PTI supporters in cities across Pakistan to support Imran Khan.
The celebrities also took it to social media to throw their weight behind the former Prime Minister who was ousted on the night of April 9 and 10 as a result of the no-confidence motion tabled against him on March 8.
The no-trust motion and then subsequently the ousting stirred a strong celebrity outrage online, and soon after the result of the motion was announced, a huge portion of the entertainment industry joined PTI supporters in their protests both online and on the roads.
Actors participating in the rallies
Saira Yusuf, who is starring in Sinf-e-Ahan, participated in the rally along with her sister Palwasha and shared photos and videos of the protest on Instagram.
Actor and plastic surgeon Fahad Mirza reported live from the rally and wrote, “This happens when people believe in an ideal!, adding that Imran, as a single entity, could be stopped but if we rose together as one nation then we would be irresistible.
Annie Khalid shared her experience from the rally in a tweet where she said that random people were distributing water and drinks to people in the protest and women were protected by random strangers who formed circles around them.
“The men were making chains with their arms to help the girls’ children. It was heartwarming. This is Imran Khan’s Pakistan,” she wrote.
“I am proud of my nation today. No one can defeat us.” wrote TV host and actor Azfar Rehman while he shared a video clip of the Lahore protests.
Singer Kuratulain Baloch and Actor Mariam Nafees were also seen at the protests as they both shared their views on the political situation.
Actor Usama Khan also shared photos of the rally held at Liberty Chowk in Lahore.
Celeb Tweets backing IK:
Apart from the rallies, the celebrities also took to the twitter in support of Imran Khan.
Actor Mahira Khan also wrote a few words for the former prime minister and said that although the last government was not perfect, the people of Pakistan “do not want history to repeat itself”.
“This is the real victory. No conspiracy can stand in the face of this reality. It will not end until IK regains his rightful place as the leader of the country,” tweeted Music producer Rohel Hayat while adding that the nation has just woken up and pictures from across the country are proof of that.
Actor Shahroz Sabzwari called the rally a “verdict” and wrote “We are with our leader Imran Khan”.