DISCLAIMER: This is a compilation of tweets being shared by netizens around the world. Times of India neither condones nor endorses any of the views shared in this article here.Ousted prime minister of Pakistan
Imran Khan on Thursday gave a six-day deadline to the
Shehbaz Sharif
government for dissolving provincial assemblies and announcing fresh general elections, warning that if the "imported government" failed to do so, he would return to the capital with the "entire nation".
His morning address at Jinnah Avenue in
Islamabad
was the culmination of chaotic 24 hours that saw the capital blockaded and clashes break out between police and protesters across the country.
Pakistani police fired teargas and baton-charged supporters of Khan on Wednesday to block them from reaching the capital Islamabad, officials and witnesses said.
Section 144 was imposed in Lahore, the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and Karachi, as well as other major cities in the country, while the Punjab government sought the deployment of Rangers to control the law and order situation.
Police placed barricades in front of the Red Zone, a neighborhood with key government buildings, including Parliament, embassies and the prime minister’s offices. The government had said demonstrations won’t be allowed, which resulted in more mayhem and social unrest.
The government rounded up over 1,000 PTI leaders and workers in a crackdown designed to derail the party's plans for a massive power show in Islamabad.
The government called out the army to protect its buildings in the capital amid clashes between protesters and security forces late last night. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked Pakistanis to reject the sit-ins, which he says can contribute to heavy economic losses.
Khan had earlier called upon his supporters to march on the capital and stay there until the new government is dissolved and a date for a fresh election is announced. He was ousted in a confidence vote by a united opposition after he lost his partners in his coalition government last month.
Khan's call for a long march demanding fresh elections led to all roads leading into the country's capital Islamabad being blocked.
Soaring inflation. Squabbles over fuel prices. A fractious political environment. For months,
Pakistan has struggled to keep its economy afloat, raising the prospect that one of the world’s most populous nations could soon follow Sri Lanka in a wave of potential global defaults.
With its capital now on the boil with complete administrative collapse, Pakistan seems to be staring at an unending crisis that might lead to the army taking over.
Amidst all this, several undated videos and photos that claim to be showing unrest in Pakistan have taken social media by storm. The videos show protestors burning several parts of the country just as they’re violently tackled by state police.
Tear gas shells firedPakistan digging its own grave?