Ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Vows To Hold 'Historic' Rally In City Of Lahore On March 19

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2023) Imran Khan, the former Pakistani prime minister and the chairman of the country's opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has announced his intention to hold a "historic" rally in the city of Lahore on March 19 as part of his election campaign.

On Monday, the former Pakistani prime minister held an election rally near the Sufi shrine of Data Darbar in Lahore despite security and detention threats, media reported, adding that his party had launched an election campaign after having canceled it twice last week.

"I will hold a jalsa (a public gathering) at (the tower of) Minar-e-Pakistan (in Lahore) on Sunday (March 19) at 2pm (09:00 GMT). We all have to struggle together," Khan said during the rally, according to Pakistani broadcaster Geo.

In January, Khan said that he was going to participate in the election and win. He claimed to be preparing a "radical" plan on strengthening the country's economy, which, according to his forecasts, would go into an even worse state by the time of the general election. Khan also said that he would further advocate the role of the International Monetary Fund in supporting the Pakistani economy and averting the growing risk of default.

In April 2022, the Pakistani parliament ousted then-Prime Minister Khan in a vote of no confidence, with the motion succeeding by a unanimous vote of 174-0. The country's lawmakers elected then-opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif from the Pakistan Muslim League-N as the new prime minister.

On the eve of the election a wave of protests swept the country. Thousands of people participated in rallies in support of Khan and the PTI. The ousted prime minister said that his independent foreign policy had irritated foreign powers, including the United States, and they had financed the opposition's actions on a vote of no confidence.

Shortly after the appointment of the new prime minister, Khan demanded that general election be held immediately, in which a new head of government would be designated. However, the Pakistani Election Commission announced that it was impossible to hold general elections until May 2023.

In November, Sharif said that general election would be held after August 2023, as the term of the incumbent parliament ends in August 2023.