Pakistani protesters descend on capital to demand PM quits

Thousands of anti-government demonstrators were due in the Pakistani capital on Thursday to demand that the government step down, piling more pressure on Prime Minister Imran Khan as he strives to get the faltering economy on track.

The protests are organized by Fazl-ur-Rehman, the leader of one of Pakistan’s largest religious parties, who says the government of cricketer-turned-politician Khan is incompetent and illegitimate and was installed by the military after a rigged election last year.

Schools and some offices were closed in Islamabad as the protesters made their way from the eastern city of Lahore. They were due to arrive later in the day.

Police have reinforced checkpoints and brought in extra barriers, including shipping containers to block roads and seal off the administrative and diplomatic heart of the city.

Via Reuters