Pakistan government supporters to stage rare sit-in, protest release of former Premier Imran Khan

By MUNIR AHMED
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Thousands of Pakistan’s government supporters are heading to the country’s capital for a rare sit-in to protest the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Convoys of buses and cars are on the main road leading to Islamabad on Monday. An alliance affiliated with Pakistan’s ruling party has called for the sit-in to protest the judiciary’s decision giving a so-called “undue reprieve” to the now opposition leader. Khan was released from custody following his arrest in a graft case last week. The call for protest is a sign of escalating tensions between the judiciary and the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif who replaced Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April 2022.