Demonstrations shocked multiple Pakistani cities, including the country’s capital of Islamabad, on Sunday, with thousands taking to the streets to express their support for deposed Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The former cricketer lost the PM’s post owing to a no-confidence vote on Saturday in the country’s parliament. Khan alleged the vote was a result as a foreign-backed regime change operation.
“Never have such crowds come out so spontaneously and in such numbers in our history, rejecting the imported govt led by crooks,” tweeted the ousted PM Khan, sharing footage of the protests.
The demonstrations were fronted by Khan’s PTI party, which called upon its members and supporters to take to the streets across the country.
The former PM said the country was entering a new period of “freedom struggle” with the Pakistani people protecting “sovereignty and democracy” from a “foreign conspiracy of regime change.”
Pakistan’s National Assembly passed a vote of no-confidence against Khan with 176 lawmakers out of 342 voting for the move to end his office term early.
The PTI party effectively lost its parliamentary majority back in March, after seven MPs from its coalition party defected and joined the ranks of the opposition. Pakistan’s parliament is set to hold a vote to pick a new PM on Monday.
-RT