‘Foreign-backed drive to remove Khan’: UK Pakistanis protest

A crowd of about 200 people gathered outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Sunday, waving placards along with green, black and red flags.

The chant “Aaj nahi, to kub? [If not today, then when?]” echoed through loudspeakers across Westminster, while popular Pakistani songs played in the background.The rally was organised by members of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a political party set up in 1996 by Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Concerned members of the Pakistani diaspora united with the UK-based party members of Khan’s group, calling for free and fair elections and a return to the rule of law.

Maliha*, a digital media specialist in her 30s, had never attended a political protest until Khan’s ousting from power in April last year.

Khan lost a no-confidence vote to his leadership after facing mounting pressure over his foreign policy, the declining economy and a resurgence of the Pakistan Taliban armed group.Maliha drove for more than three hours from her home in Cardiff, Wales to attend the protest.Thousands more took to the streets, with Pakistani police arresting and detaining more than 4,000 people, including journalists, according to Human Rights Watch.

The military-backed government accused the protesters of attacking police and government buildings, as well as military assets and installations.

Khan has denied the accusations and has called for an independent inquiry.