World · World News Bureau
Imran Khan supporters stage mass rallies as negotiations stall
Thousands of supporters of Pakistan's imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan took to the streets on Thursday following the collapse of talks aimed at securing his release. The demonstrations underscore deepening tensions between the opposition leader's movement and Pakistan's government.
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Large crowds gathered across major Pakistani cities, with Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party calling the show of force a response to failed negotiations with authorities. The rallies represent an escalation in the political standoff surrounding Khan's detention, which has drawn international scrutiny and domestic criticism from opposition voices.
Khan, who served as prime minister until 2022, has remained imprisoned on multiple charges he and his supporters contend are politically motivated. His party has increasingly mobilized grassroots opposition to his continued incarceration, with previous demonstrations drawing significant crowds in Islamabad and Lahore.
The breakdown in negotiations signals deepening rifts between Khan's political bloc and the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. While discussions had centered on conditions for Khan's potential release, the talks yielded no breakthrough, prompting the PTI to announce the street mobilization.
Pakistan's political situation remains volatile, with the economy under strain and public dissatisfaction mounting over governance and inflation. Khan's case has become emblematic of broader concerns about democratic institutions and judicial independence in the country, with supporters viewing his detention as evidence of political persecution.