Anti-govt protests shut down Lahore

Lahore, December 15

Pakistan Opposition leader Imran Khan's supporters chanting "Go Nawaz go" today cut off the city from the rest of the country by blocking all major roads during their anti-government protests even as negotiators from the two sides met to defuse the crisis and make the dialogue process more result-oriented.

Imran today gave a 48-hour deadline to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to constitute a judicial commission to investigate the alleged rigging of 2013 elections as his party workers blocked all major roads, cutting the city from rest of the country.

"Nawaz Sharif! You have only two options - constitute a judicial commission to audit the 2013 elections or we will not let you run the government," Imran warned the premier while addressing a rally on the Mall Road here.

Demanding an inquiry into alleged rigging in the May 2013 general elections by Sharif's PML-N, activists from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gathered at all main roads of the city in the morning and burnt tyres, leading to suspension of transport services.

The PTI workers had also blocked all major roads of city including exit and entry points cutting off Lahore from the rest of the country to press the government to accept its demands.

"The government in 48 hours can constitute the commission. Nawaz Sharif has 48 hours to decide otherwise we will give 'Plan D' which will not Sharif run his government. On December 18, we will shutdown the entire country (by blocking all major roads in every district)," he warned.

The cricketer-turned-politician said Sharif should understand that his party would not end the protest till the audit of the 2013 elections by an independent commission. — PTI