Imran Khan campaigns against his removal as Pakistan prime minister

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan launched a campaign against his removal from office on Wednesday, urging his supporters to continue to peacefully protest against the new government to pressure them to call early elections.

Massive, massive, massive. We had to break the boundary walls. People ahead. On the sides. Behind. A force has been unleashed like never before. @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/CeAu7Zyyfy

— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) April 13, 2022

Khan spoke at a massive rally in Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan in front of thousands of his supporters. He is due to speak at gatherings in Lahore and Karachi later this week.

Khan posted about the Peshawar rally on Wednesday evening on Twitter, urging all Pakistanis to participate “as Pakistan was created as an independent, sovereign state not as a puppet state of foreign powers.”

On Wednesday I will be holding a jalsa in Peshawar after Isha - my first jalsa after being removed through a foreign- instigated regime change. I want all our people to come, as Pakistan was created as an independent, sovereign state not as a puppet state of foreign powers.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 11, 2022

There have been widespread protests in Pakistan and around the world in support of Khan, in cities such as London and Dubai. 

Khan was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote on Sunday and was replaced by Shehbaz Sharif, the brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was sentenced to 10 years on corruption charges.

Resignations of 123 PTI MNAs have been accepted by the acting Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri.

— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) April 14, 2022

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khan's political party, continues to protest his removal and boycott political proceedings. According to reports, 123 PTI members of parliament have handed in their resignations. 

Imran Khan had continuously fought against the old guard of established parties, such as Sharif’s PML-N, and before his ouster had blamed foreign powers such as the United States for working with the opposition to remove him from power.