Pressure mounted on Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tahreek (PAT) leader Tahirul Qadri ratcheted up the efforts, demanding him to quit.
On one hand, PTI chief Imran Khan, who has threatened that Sunday be a ”decisive day”, and will see the final round of protests, reiterated his calls for the PM to resign.
PAT chief Tahirul Qadri, on the other hand has set a 48-hour deadline for the government to dissolve itself.
“I give a deadline of 48 hours to present rulers to resign & dissolve assemblies peacefully,”Qadri posted on Twitter.
“If corrupt rulers were allowed to escape, concerned institutions will be responsible for this,” the anti-government sufi cleric added.
In what are the biggest anti-government challenges yet to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who took office last year in the first democratic transfer of power, Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri led huge rallies to the capital, demanding his resignation on the claims that last year’s elections were rigged.
Addressing a a lesser-than-expected crowd of protesters, who weathered heavy showers to continue the protest, cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan mixed politeness with threat, urging Nawaz to resign.
“I ask you Mian Sahib, with politeness, to resign as it is hard to control enthusiasm of the people and they could march on the Parliament House and PM House,” he said.
While speaking to his supporters, Imran also addressed him as PM, saying “PM Imran will never lie to you; he will not make tall promises and will do whatever he could do”.
In an added trouble for the Prime Minister, the Lahore High Court ordered the registering of murder charges against 21 people including Nawaz Sharif and his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over the violence at Model Town in June.
The order came after a complaint filed by the Pakistan Awami Tahreek (PAT), that referred to June violence near Qadri’s headquarters in Model Town in June, that had claimed 14 people’s lives.
