Imran Vows to continue protest

Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan addresses his supporters at an anti-government protest in eastern Pakistan's Lahore on Sept. 28, 2014. Supporters of Pakistan's two opposition leaders, Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and Tahir ul Qadri of Pakistan Wami Tehrik attended the sit-in protest in Islamabad, demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and fresh polls.
Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan addresses his supporters at an anti-government protest in eastern Pakistan’s Lahore on Sept. 28, 2014. Supporters of Pakistan’s two opposition leaders, Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and Tahir ul Qadri of Pakistan Wami Tehrik attended the sit-in protest in Islamabad, demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and fresh polls.

Cricketer turned politician Imran Khan said the protest in Islamabad will continue until the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigns.

“We will celebrate Eid at ‘Azadi Chowk’ in style and will continue our protest,” he said while talking to media in Islamabad.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief said the Election Commission had itself admitted that there was historic rigging in the 2013 general election.

“It is the right of people to ask the prime minister to give reasons for being tax evader and not investing in Pakistan,” he said.

He asked: “People are questioning that why the prime minister is not declaring his assets. “Do we have separate laws for rulers and the general masses. I will return to my dharna (sit-in) in Islamabad after addressing the Lahore rally.”

Imran Khan said that there was no reason for constituting a judicial commission when there is no real democracy in the country. In presence of Nawaz Sharif, no judicial commission can work, he added.

Sharif at UN

(140928) -- LAHORE, Sept. 28, 2014 (Xinhua) -- Supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan gathered at an anti-government protest in eastern Pakistan's Lahore on Sept. 28, 2014. Supporters of Pakistan's two opposition leaders, Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and Tahir ul Qadri of Pakistan Wami Tehrik attended the sit-in protest in Islamabad, demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and fresh polls.(Xinhua/Sajjad)
(140928) — LAHORE, Sept. 28, 2014 (Xinhua) — Supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan gathered at an anti-government protest in eastern Pakistan’s Lahore on Sept. 28, 2014. Supporters of Pakistan’s two opposition leaders, Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and Tahir ul Qadri of Pakistan Wami Tehrik attended the sit-in protest in Islamabad, demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and fresh polls.(Xinhua/Sajjad)

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to New York to attend the 69th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) said that all political parties in his country were united for upholding democracy.

Sharif made the announcement while addressing a Pakistani community in New York after meeting UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon and other foreign leaders at the UN General Assembly, Dawn online reported Friday.

Sharif said that those staging sit-ins against his government had made ambitious plans, but the nation did not support them.

Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek have been staging anti-government protests since Aug 15 and holding a large sit-in in Islamabad, seeking Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation over alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections.

He said the government is fully functional despite the protests while those opposing it had failed.

Sharif said: “The attacks launched on the Parliament House and the Pakistan Television (PTV) network headquarters were hardly similar to any of the attacks found in the country’s history.”

He said his party participated in the 2013 general elections as an opposition party and rigging allegations against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were baseless.

The prime minister also said that the previous caretaker government was nominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), but his party won a landslide victory in the elections.

(140928) -- LAHORE, Sept. 28, 2014 (Xinhua) -- Supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan gathered at an anti-government protest in eastern Pakistan's Lahore on Sept. 28, 2014. Supporters of Pakistan's two opposition leaders, Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and Tahir ul Qadri of Pakistan Wami Tehrik attended the sit-in protest in Islamabad, demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and fresh polls.(Xinhua/Sajjad)
(140928) — LAHORE, Sept. 28, 2014 (Xinhua) — Supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan gathered at an anti-government protest in eastern Pakistan’s Lahore on Sept. 28, 2014. Supporters of Pakistan’s two opposition leaders, Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and Tahir ul Qadri of Pakistan Wami Tehrik attended the sit-in protest in Islamabad, demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and fresh polls.(Xinhua/Sajjad)