Ex-PM Imran Khan warns of 'civil war' in Pakistan if fresh elections not announced

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan in a fresh warning has stressed that if fresh elections were not announced, the country would descend into a civil war. Speaking to Bol News on Wednesday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman said he would issue the date for the next march demanding general elections after the Supreme Court decides on his party's plea to provide protection to the protestor, the Dawn newspaper reported.

"We will see if they allow us to go towards elections through legal and constitutional means otherwise this country will go towards (a) civil war," Imran Khan warned.

He further mentioned that returning to the National Assembly is not possible as it would mean "accepting the conspiracy" that removed the PTI government. 

The PTI has been protesting against the government led by Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and calling for a fresh election as according to his that party was “imported” and not a true representative of the Pakistani people.

On May 25, Khan led his thousands of PTI supporters to Islamabad in a protest and had planned to stage a sit-in until new elections were announced. The protest was called off at the last minute after making it to the capital. However, he had threatened to return after six days if the government failed to give a date for snap polls in the country.

Imran Khan removed as Pakistan PM

Earlier in April, Imran Khan was removed from office through a no-confidence vote but, he refused to accept the outcome and pointed at the involvement of the US in toppling his government. 

The joint Opposition - a rainbow of socialist, liberal, and radically religious parties, secured the support of 174 members in the 342-member National Assembly, more than the needed strength of 172 to oust the prime minister, on what was a dramatic night in the Pakistan National Assembly, with multiple adjournments of the lower house.

In the history of Pakistan, Imran Khan is the first Prime Minister to lose a no-trust vote. Putting an end to a dramatic week, Imran Khan was successfully removed as PM. Opposition groups in Pakistan's Parliament had filed a no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan, accusing him of economic mismanagement.

Imran Khan skipped the trust vote and his party lawmakers staged a walkout during the voting. 

(With PTI inputs)

(Image: AP)