- Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have staged a sit-in since Thursday night in Islamabad
- They have been asking for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s resignation and dissolution of the current political setup
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman held a meeting with senior opposition leaders on Monday to determine the future course of action after the country’s Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to resign within a deadline announced by the firebrand cleric and his party at the outset of its sit-in in the federal capital.
Rahman vowed on Sunday to continue a peaceful struggle against the current ruling administration as tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators remained camped in for the fourth consecutive day in Islamabad.
“We are peaceful people and will abide by the constitution and law … and this movement will continue until the dissolution of this government,” Rehman said while addressing his followers and party activists.
The firebrand religious cleric on Friday gave the prime minister two days to resign, adding that the demonstrators would otherwise decide the future course of action. The deadline for the ultimatum expired on Sunday, but Rahman refrained from announcing a new deadline or strategy to achieve his goal.
He is leading a politically charged group of protesters against the government which, he believes, is the product of rigged 2018 general elections.
About eight other opposition parties have also been supporting the anti-government protest and demanding new “free and fair” polls in the country.
“We are convening an all-parties conference tomorrow [Monday] to decide our future course of action,” the JUI-F chief said, adding he had “a Plan B and a Plan C ready for the next phase” of the anti-government movement.
The opposition parties have built their anti-government campaign on the basis of alleged election irregularities and a fast deteriorating economy since the installation of the current government in August last year.
Prime Minister Khan had come into power, promising about ten million jobs for youth and five million low-cost homes for middle-class families.
However, the economy has nosedived in the last one year, with inflation touching double-digit numbers as the government opted for a $6 billion bailout package with tough taxation and economic reforms conditions to stave off a balance of payments crisis.
“The inflation has broken the backbone of the poor,” Rehman said. “We will strengthen the economy after dislodging this government.”