Fervour, fury on Pakistan pro-Imran Khan march

KHYBER LINE, Oct 8: Punching the air and roaring in unison, ecstatic crowds joined a growing demonstration on Wednesday in support of Pakistan's jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, an opposition show of force that authorities had sought to avert.

Supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party began their so-called "long march" on Sunday, demanding the former prime minister's release and airing anti-government sentiment fuelled by harsh economic conditions.

"I joined this procession for one reason: Imran Khan's release. I will not return under any circumstances until he is released," 58-year-old Qalandar Khan told AFP in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, ruled by the PTI.

"If the government and the establishment think they can remove Imran Khan ... they should know that he has a place in our hearts," said the protester from the mountainous North Waziristan area.

A hugely popular former cricket star, Imran Khan has been behind bars since August 2023 and faces scores of charges ranging from corruption to treason following anti-establishment riots also in 2023.

He and his legal team reject the allegations, branding them as politically motivated cases aimed at neutralising his popularity.

"Imran Khan wanted to establish peace in the country and eliminate corruption," said protester PirFayyaz, 40, a property dealer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

"We have become deeply frustrated with inflation, lawlessness, poor governance and terrorism in the country," he added.�" AFP