Workers from Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s party shut down major roads in the eastern city of Lahore on Monday in the latest round of protests against the government.
Dozens of supporters from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gathered at different junctions of the city’s major roads and burnt tyres, forcing the suspension of public transport services.
Khan claims the 2013 general election was rigged and wants Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose power base lies in Lahore, to resign.
Local and foreign observers, however, have rated the polls as credible.
A heavy police presence is on the streets to try to prevent violence, following clashes at a similar protest in the city of Faisalabad last week.
Khan has vowed to paralyse major cities around the country as part of his efforts to topple Sharif’s government.
A lengthy sit-in protest outside the parliament building in Islamabad in late August and early September led to brief violent clashes and destabilised Sharif’s government.
Khan has warned that he and his supporters will paralyse the country on December 18 if their demands are not met.
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