Islamabad, May 15, 2023: Leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition of opposition parties, reached the sit-in venue outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday. They were greeted by a large crowd of supporters.
The PDM is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan, alleging that he came to power through rigging in the 2018 general election. The government has denied these allegations.
The PDM sit-in is likely to continue for several days. It remains to be seen whether the government will be able to resolve the political crisis.
In his address to the crowd, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the government had lost its legitimacy and must resign. He also called for the establishment of a caretaker government to oversee the next general election.
PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz said that the government was a “puppet” of the establishment and that it was time for the people to take back their country. She also called for the release of her father, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in jail on corruption charges.
The PDM sit-in has been met with a heavy security presence. Barricades have been erected and roads have been closed to traffic in the area around the Supreme Court.
The PDM is the latest in a series of protests against the government. In November 2022, the opposition parties held a long march to Islamabad, which culminated in clashes with security forces.
The political crisis in Pakistan is deepening. It remains to be seen whether the government will be able to survive the PDM sit-in.