ISLAMABAD (AP) – Tensions rose in the Pakistani capital on Tuesday as an opposition rally prepared to march toward the Parliament and government headquarters in Islamabad later in the day and authorities beefed up security measures to prevent violence.
The demonstrators, who have camped out in Islamabad in two rallies since last week, are demanding that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif step down over alleged vote rigging in the 2013 parliamentary elections.
The rallies – with tens of thousands taking part – are led by cricket-star-turned-politician Imran Khan and fiery cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri who have vowed to keep up the sit-ins until Sharif resigns.
Khan, who heads Parliament’s third-largest political bloc, announced on Monday that he and his supporters would march into Islamabad’s so-called Red Zone, which houses embassies, the Parliament, government offices and the residence of the prime minister and the president.
On Tuesday, he said on Twitter that he would himself lead the march and urged Sharif to resign. Authorities have said they would not allow protesters to enter the Red Zone and asked the two opposition leaders to reconsider.