Thousands of ex-PM’s supporters head to Islamabad

Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, is under lockdown for a second day as thousands of protesters demanding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan from jail converge on the city.

His supporters are also calling for the overturning of election results they say were rigged – a claim disputed by the government.

The former PM has been detained for more than a year on various charges, but remains hugely popular despite his legal troubles and his supporters have been protesting for months.

His wife, Bushra Bibi, told supporters on Monday that the march would continue until her husband was free.

The latest rally came after Khan issued a “final call” to supporters, calling on them to stay in the capital until their demands are met.

There have been clashes between his supporters and police. The authorities have banned the protest, blocking streets with shipping containers and suspending some internet services.

Schools and colleges have shut because of fears of violence.

Members of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party say they’ve been repeatedly tear gassed by the police.

The police say their officers have been injured by stones thrown by protesters. Police told the BBC that 139 people had been arrested and 14 policemen injured.

Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi is one of the leaders of the main convoy.

“Until Khan comes to us, we will not end this march,” she told crowds as the rally neared the capital earlier on Monday.

“I will stand till my last breath and you have to support me. This is not just about my husband but about this country and its leader,” she said.

Bushra Bibi was sentenced alongside Khan in January, but released on bail in late October.

Although Khan has now been behind bars for more than a year, he is still the dominant force of Pakistan’s opposition politics.

He was voted out of power by parliament in 2022 amid reports that he had fallen out with the country’s powerful military.

He denies all the charges against him, which range from corruption to instigating violence to getting married to Bushra Bibi illegally.

In February’s general election, his party was banned from standing. Independent candidates backed by the PTI unexpectedly won the most seats – but not enough to form a government.

Khan accused the two parties now in government – the PML-N and PPP – of stealing the election. The authorities deny accusations of vote tampering.