PAKISTAN-PROTESTS/ENCAMPMENT Pakistan protesters vow to stay put as prime minister chairs marathon parliament session

Record ID: 322718

  • Title: PAKISTAN-PROTESTS/ENCAMPMENT Pakistan protesters vow to stay put as prime minister chairs marathon parliament session
  • Date: 2nd September 2014
  • Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (SEPTEMBER 02, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WALKING AROUND ENCAMPMENT AREA VARIOUS OF PROTESTER IN TENT READING NEWSPAPER VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SITTING UNDER AWNING VARIOUS OF A WOMAN WASHING DISHES MAN WASHING FACE PROTESTER, MOHAMMAD SHER IMTIAZ, READING A NEWSPAPER INSIDE TENT
  • Embargoed: 17th September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4E27H3GVHVY2MLSB9N24JQZT5
  • Story Text: Thousands of protesters vowed to continue their mission to bring down the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday (September 2), amidst a deepening crisis that has prompted fears of an army intervention.
    The protesters, led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and Muslim cleric Tahir ul-Qadri, have been camped out in Islamabad since mid-August, paralysing life in the centre of the capital and creating massive traffic jams. The protest site, where many sleep rough, is littered with rubbish and reeks of human waste.
    Many protesters were unapologetic about the disruption their activities were causing.
    "Businesses are closed? Schools are closed? But tell me, in the past 65 years, what business were we ever given? What education did we get? What did we get? For the past 65 years, the poor man has been wasting away on the streets. Because of who? Because of these people!" said protester Mohammad Sher Imtiaz, waving a newspaper with Sharif's picture on the front page.
    "The losses people are suffering are not because of us. It is because of these rulers. If they give us justice, we will go home, and these losses will come to an end," said Mohammad Nawaz, a protester from the town of Gujrat.
    Shahid Iqbal, a protester from Faisalabad, said the nation should be prepared to suffer for the sake of change.
    "I am a businessman myself, and, believe me, I have suffered losses of millions. I have closed my industries and everything else. I do not care if nothing of mine is left. All I want is change to come to this country, so that if we cannot survive here, at least our future generations should be safe and able to live respectable lives here," Iqbal said.
    On Tuesday Sharif chaired a joint session of parliament. He made no remarks in parliament, instead taking notes and listening to speeches.
    Sharif had been expected to address parliament at some point during the day but as members of parliament streamed into the assembly, his office clarified that the proceedings would last all week, and that he might speak at the end of the session.
    Sharif, who was toppled by the army in a 1999 coup but staged a comeback with a big election win in May last year, has refused to quit while protest leaders have rejected his offers of talks, creating a dangerous deadlock.
    Army chief General Raheel Sharif met Prime Minister Sharif on Monday (September 1), but it was unclear what they discussed.
    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Reuters the government was preparing to launch a selective crackdown against protesters, and warned demonstrators against storming government buildings.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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