Pakistan's Imran Khan threatens another march if elections not called within 6 days


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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.

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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Rasmi Ragy is a senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Prosecutor in Egypt with more than 40 years experience across the GCC.

Education: Ain Shams University, Egypt, in 1978.

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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

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Updated: May 26, 2022, 11:00 AM`