Pakistan government supporters rally in Islamabad

Описание: (15 May 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Islamabad - 15 May 2023
1.Various of Pakistani government supporters holding party flags in front of supreme court building
2. Close of Pakistan Muslim League party flag
3. Politicians Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Fazalur Rehman waving to supporters
4. Wide of supporters gathered
5. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Chief Organiser of ruling party and daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif:
"What Umar Ata Bandial (Chief Justice of Pakistan's supreme court) did now (in releasing Imran Khan), proves the government concerns that he is not impartial and in his presence a free and fair election is impossible. The election will be held on time and after your leaving (Bandial). Last words, Umar Ata Bandial - with nobility, now you should resign and go back to your home.”
6. Various of supporters at rally
++NIGHT SHOTS++
7. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Fazalur Rehman, head of the Pakistan Democratic Alliance:
"People are together here in Islamabad and the people have given their decision, that the supreme court chief justice and a small group are insulting the supreme court of Pakistan.”
8. Various of supporters waving flags, holding phone torches in front of supreme court building

STORYLINE:
More than 20,000 supporters of Pakistan's government converged on the country's Supreme Court on Monday, in a rare challenge to the nation's judiciary.

The demonstrators demanded the resignation of the chief justice for ordering the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a graft case.

The Pakistan Democratic Alliance, a grouping of 13 political parties affiliated with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, called for the protests.

The alliance was behind the joint action to oust Khan in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022.

Khan’s dramatic detention from a courtroom in Islamabad last week sparked outrage among legions of his supporters, who set buildings and vehicles ablaze across major cities and attacked military facilities.

The Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, intervened and ordered him to be freed. Bandial criticized the way Khan was arrested and said that his detention was unlawful. But the government and its allies have accused the top judge of bias.

Convoys filled with government supporters Monday flooded the main road to Islamabad on their way to the Supreme Court despite a ban on rallies and public gatherings imposed by the government in the wake of the turmoil.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the chief organiser of the ruling party and daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, also participated in the sit-in and in her speech she demanded Bandial's resignation.

Some judges were unable to directly access the Supreme Court because of the sit-in and had to use an attached government building to enter and leave the premises.

AP Video shot by Muhammad Yousaf

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