Thousands at opposition rallies in Pakistan demand PM Khan's removal

Tens of thousands of protesters participated in opposition rallies in Pakistan on Thursday demanding the removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan a year after he came to power in controversial elections.

Opposition groups ranging from right-wing Islamic parties to secular organisations took to streets in all major cities to protest alleged manipulation of national elections by the powerful military last year.

The opposition parties observed the anniversary as a "black day" and threatened to launch more protests in the coming days to unseat what they consider a "selected" prime minister.

"We don't accept Khan's government as legitimate. He was selected and imposed on the nation by the military," Islamic leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman said in a speech he gave in the north-western city of Peshawar.

A crowd of tens of thousands of activists from Rehman's and other opposition parties burst into cheers when speakers announced more protests in the near future.

There were widespread allegations that national elections on 25 July were manipulated by the powerful military to block former premier Nawaz Sharif (2013-2017) from seeking another term. Sharif, currently in jail, is considered the most popular leader in Pakistan. He is a staunch advocate of civilian supremacy in a country ruled by generals for almost half of its existence. The activists of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League party clashed with riot police in the eastern city of Lahore, where a rally was scheduled to take place later in the evening.

Bilawal Bhutto, son of slain ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, was set to address a rally of his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in the southern city of Karachi, his spokesman Qamar Zaman Kaira said. A huge rally was also taking place in the south-western town of Quetta, where activists from several opposition groups were gathering. 

Police arrested hundreds of activists from Sharif's party in a pre-dawn raid in Lahore on Thursday to stop them from rallying, said Maryam Nawaz, Sharif's daughter and his political successor. "It is a fascist tactic by a government scared of protests," she said in a social media post.

Anger is growing against premier Khan as his government has failed to revive the ailing economy, create jobs and control rising inflation triggered by a devaluation of the currency.

More than 100,000 people rallied with Maryam Nawaz in the province of Punjab a couple of weeks ago, chanting slogans like "Go Imran, go!" and "Down with the fascist government." (dpa)