Leaders and workers of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Friday staged protests in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province against the United States for alleged 'threat' to Prime Minister Imran Khan, reported local media.
Carrying banners and placards inscribed with anti-US slogans, the PTI workers criticised the US and its leadership for allegedly threatening an elected prime minister and interfering in the internal policies of Pakistan, The News International reported.
Expressing solidarity with Imran Khan, the PTI leaders said they could go hungry but would never allow any country to dictate their leadership.
The PTI leaders and workers burnt the US flag and effigy of US President Joe Biden, reported the Dawn newspaper.
In an address to the nation on Thursday, Imran Khan had raised a "foreign conspiracy" charge amid the opposition's growing confidence about the no-trust motion against his government pending in the National Assembly.
Imran Khan mentioned "United States" in this context and then immediately changed tack to say "foreign country".
"On March 8 or before that on March 7, the US sent us a...not the US but a foreign country sent us a message. The reason why I talking about this...for an independent country to receive such a message... this is against me and the country," he had said.
The United States has rejected Imran Khan's allegations regarding Washington's role in the alleged "foreign conspiracy" to oust him from power.
Imran Khan is the third Prime Minister to face the no-confidence motion in Pakistan.
The protests, led by provincial ministers, were staged on the 'orders' of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, who in a leaked audio clip, can be heard asking the PTI leaders to organise rallies against the US and the dissident PTI lawmakers, insisting that Imran Khan has directed him to do so, according to the Dawn.
Besides shouting slogans against the US, the protesters also called out dissident PTI MNAs and opposition for working to oust the Imran Khan government.
Calling the defiant party lawmakers turncoats, they called for the registration of cases against 'traitors' accusing them of acting on the directions of the US.
They further asked these dissident leaders to review their decision to vote against Imran Khan during the opposition's no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, reported the Pakistani publication.
The opposition's no-trust vote against the government is expected to be taken up in Pakistan National Assembly on Sunday.
( With inputs from ANI )
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