Supporters of Pakistan’s imprisoned ex-PM Imran Khan rally to demand his release

ISLAMABAD -- Thousands of supporters of Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan rallied on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad on Sunday, demanding his release. He has been in prison for more than a year in connection with more than 150 police cases.

Khan, the main rival of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, remains a popular figure despite these cases, which critics and his party say are politically motivated. He was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in parliament.

Sunday's rally, one of the biggest this year by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf opposition party, or PTI, was held peacefully, though police briefly clashed with some activists.

Khan’s spokesman Zulfi Bukhari denounced the police action against his “peaceful” supporters, in a statement.

Earlier, authorities had blocked key roads by putting shipping containers to prevent his supporters from attending the rally.

“God willing, we will secure the release of Imran Khan soon," said Ali Amin, the top elected official in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, addressing the rally.

He gave an ultimatum of two weeks to the government for his leader's release.

Khan has been in prison since 2023 when he was arrested after being sentenced in a graft case.