Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan has asked his supporters to stop holding mass protests after violent clashes with police near the parliament in Islamabad, but gave a warning that new unrest could occur unless early elections are called within six days.
Since being ousted in a no-confidence vote in April, Mr Khan has held nationwide rallies with tens of thousands of supporters, telling loyal followers that his government was toppled in a US-backed coup.
On Wednesday, thousands of his supporters rioted in the capital near government buildings. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said the army and police were being deployed to maintain security.
“I want to give a message to this imported government to announce elections within six days,” Mr Khan said on Thursday morning. “Dissolve the assemblies and call an election in June.”
The latest tensions come after a policeman was shot dead last week, which prompted Mr Sanaullah to call the cricket star turned politician a “terrorist”.
The US and Pakistan's military have denied playing any part in Mr Khan's downfall.
A long-standing demand from Mr Khan has been the holding of early elections — in his view, so that he can defeat Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by a popular vote, overturning parliament’s move to remove him.
Riots in Islamabad
Pakistan's two main parties, led by the rival Bhutto and Sharif families, teamed up to unseat Mr Khan. These two political dynasties have ruled the South Asian nation of over 220 million people several times before, whereas Mr Khan had barely come close to power until he emerged as the winner in the last election nearly four years ago.
A charismatic former captain of the national cricket team, Mr Khan broadened his appeal to both young and socially conservative older Pakistanis by taking a populist stand on nationalist and religious issues.
His call for a march on Islamabad had prompted the government to seal off main roads leading to the capital but, late on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ordered that the barriers be removed, telling the government to designate an open venue for Mr Khan's supporters to gather.
The protesters did not follow the court orders, however, and hundreds reached the heart of the capital, where they fought running battles with police over several hours before Mr Khan and the main body of the rally entered the city.
Police fired tear gas and baton-charged the demonstrators. Hundreds of protesters were arrested after trees, vehicles, shops, and a bus station on the main thoroughfare leading to parliament were set on fire.
At least 18 police and paramilitary troops were wounded, said Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, after dozens of the protesters breached the last line of security outside the parliament.
There were also clashes in several cities in Punjab province and the southern port city of Karachi.
