Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, gestures to his supporters in Islamabad.
Islamabad:
The Pakistani protesters' blockade of parliament came to an abrupt halt on Wednesday evening after talks began between protesting anti-government cleric Tahir ul-Qadri and government negotiators. Mr Quadri, who had asked the thousands of protesters not to allow anyone in or out of parliament, told them to move away.
The move, though, is symbolic, since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the lawmakers had already left the parliament building by a back entrance.
The protesters, who had hit the streets of Islamabad for five days, marched into the "Red Zone" - the diplomatic and political enclave -- last night, led by cricketer turned opposition leader Imran Khan and Qadri, who runs a network of Islamic schools and charities.
Both want Mr Sharif to resign over allegations of corruption and election rigging. Mr Sharif won the election by a landslide, taking 190 out of 342 seats in the national assembly. The election was rated as free and credible by international observers.
The negotiators who are currently in talks with Mr Qadri include two persons from the ruling PML-N and two from the opposition parties, which are not in support of the protest either.
The Supreme Court summoned both Mr Khan and Mr Qadri to appear before the court on Thursday.
Mr Khan has given Mr Sharif until 8 pm to resign or face an invasion of protesters at his official residence. "Now no police nor army will stop us," he told supporters on Tuesday. If Sharif did not step down, he said, "we will come to the prime minister's house".
He is sticking to the stand, claiming "There can be no talks until Nawaz Sharif resigns".
On Tuesday night, protesters used cranes and bolt cutters to dismantle police barricades and surround parliament. On Wednesday, Mr Qadri urged the crowd to barricade lawmakers and the prime minister inside as they met to discuss the crisis.
"Don't let all those inside come out and don't let anyone go in," he told supporters.
His exhausted followers, some carrying blankets or colourful umbrellas, were resting in the shade on the grass on Constitution Avenue when he spoke. But they immediately rose to block the entrance to parliament.
Riot police and paramilitary forces in the area did not intervene and Mr Qadri urged the crowd to remain peaceful. "If you and the army come face to face, don't raise your hand. If you do, you will not be welcome amongst us," he said.
Lawmaker Marvi Memon from Mr Sharif's party, Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz said while leaving from the back entrance that every parliamentarian present had denounced the protests and offered support to the government.
"This affront to parliamentary democracy has been noted," she said. "This is only a handful of people and they do not represent the will of the people."
Parliament would reconvene on Thursday, she said.
The peaceful protests have raised questions over the stability of the nuclear-armed nation of 180 million people. Its civilian government is struggling to assert its authority after decades when the country swung between democracy and military rule.
The coup-prone country is also plagued by high unemployment, daily power cuts and a Taliban insurgency. Anti-Western and violent sectarian groups are gaining strength.
Most protesters say they are demonstrating against government corruption, which they blame for the country's widespread poverty.
The military, which often acts as an arbiter when it is not ruling directly, has called for a political solution to the crisis.
"Situation requires patience, wisdom and sagacity from all stakeholders to resolve prevailing impasse through meaningful dialogue in larger national and public interest," military spokesman General Asim Bajwa tweeted as the protesters approached parliament.
Last month, the civilian government made the military officially responsible for the security of top government offices. All the protesters have been careful not to offend the military, which is Pakistan's most powerful institution.
The move, though, is symbolic, since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the lawmakers had already left the parliament building by a back entrance.
The protesters, who had hit the streets of Islamabad for five days, marched into the "Red Zone" - the diplomatic and political enclave -- last night, led by cricketer turned opposition leader Imran Khan and Qadri, who runs a network of Islamic schools and charities.
Both want Mr Sharif to resign over allegations of corruption and election rigging. Mr Sharif won the election by a landslide, taking 190 out of 342 seats in the national assembly. The election was rated as free and credible by international observers.
The negotiators who are currently in talks with Mr Qadri include two persons from the ruling PML-N and two from the opposition parties, which are not in support of the protest either.
The Supreme Court summoned both Mr Khan and Mr Qadri to appear before the court on Thursday.
Mr Khan has given Mr Sharif until 8 pm to resign or face an invasion of protesters at his official residence. "Now no police nor army will stop us," he told supporters on Tuesday. If Sharif did not step down, he said, "we will come to the prime minister's house".
He is sticking to the stand, claiming "There can be no talks until Nawaz Sharif resigns".
On Tuesday night, protesters used cranes and bolt cutters to dismantle police barricades and surround parliament. On Wednesday, Mr Qadri urged the crowd to barricade lawmakers and the prime minister inside as they met to discuss the crisis.
"Don't let all those inside come out and don't let anyone go in," he told supporters.
His exhausted followers, some carrying blankets or colourful umbrellas, were resting in the shade on the grass on Constitution Avenue when he spoke. But they immediately rose to block the entrance to parliament.
Riot police and paramilitary forces in the area did not intervene and Mr Qadri urged the crowd to remain peaceful. "If you and the army come face to face, don't raise your hand. If you do, you will not be welcome amongst us," he said.
Lawmaker Marvi Memon from Mr Sharif's party, Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz said while leaving from the back entrance that every parliamentarian present had denounced the protests and offered support to the government.
"This affront to parliamentary democracy has been noted," she said. "This is only a handful of people and they do not represent the will of the people."
Parliament would reconvene on Thursday, she said.
The peaceful protests have raised questions over the stability of the nuclear-armed nation of 180 million people. Its civilian government is struggling to assert its authority after decades when the country swung between democracy and military rule.
The coup-prone country is also plagued by high unemployment, daily power cuts and a Taliban insurgency. Anti-Western and violent sectarian groups are gaining strength.
Most protesters say they are demonstrating against government corruption, which they blame for the country's widespread poverty.
The military, which often acts as an arbiter when it is not ruling directly, has called for a political solution to the crisis.
"Situation requires patience, wisdom and sagacity from all stakeholders to resolve prevailing impasse through meaningful dialogue in larger national and public interest," military spokesman General Asim Bajwa tweeted as the protesters approached parliament.
Last month, the civilian government made the military officially responsible for the security of top government offices. All the protesters have been careful not to offend the military, which is Pakistan's most powerful institution.
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