(16 Apr 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Karachi - 16 March 2022
1. Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan waving to his supporters while arriving for a public meeting with other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party leaders
2. Various of crowd welcoming Khan and waving Pakistani and PTI flags, fireworks
3. Various of Khan sitting on the stage
4. Crowd waving Pakistan and PTI flags, listening to a political song
5. Various of supporter carrying photograph of Khan, supporters chanting (Urdu) "We don't accept the imported government"
6. Various of woman carrying a sign reading (English/Urdu) "We want Imran Khan back as PM (Prime Minister)"
7. Khan arriving to speak
8. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party:
"I tell all Pakistanis, all the politically conscious citizens of Karachi, if we allowed this plot to succeed – if we bowed down to such threats — the prime ministers of this country would always sacrifice the interests of the people for the interests of other powers. That's why it's necessary for us to struggle against this government of traitors."
9. Various of crowd listening to Khan
10. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party:
"(Donald Lu threatened Pakistan) that if the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan did not succeed, then Pakistan would be in deep trouble and he said if the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan succeeded, Pakistan would be forgiven."
11. Supporters carrying poster and banners reading (Urdu) "Those who are the US's friends are Pakistan's enemies"
12. Various of supporter carrying Pakistani and PTI flags
13. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Saima Zafar, PTI supporter:
"I am here to support my leader Imran Khan who made ordinary citizens like us politically conscious. He rekindled the love of Pakistan among us. We don't accept this puppet government."
14. Various of crowd waving flags Pakistani and PTI flags
STORYLINE:
Tens of thousands of people thronged a rally called by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Karachi on Saturday to protest against his removal from power.
Addressing his supporters, Khan said that the US maneuvered to end his government when he refused to bow down before its demands and sought Russia's economic help.
He said the US was angered after Russia offered wheat and oil at lower rates to Pakistan.
Khan demanded a judicial commission led by the chief justice to investigate a letter which he claimed was written by a US official to threaten Pakistan into submission.
He told the crowd that US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu had threatened that "if the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan did not succeed, Pakistan would be in deep trouble. And he said if the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan succeeded, Pakistan would be forgiven."
Pakistan's political opposition toppled Khan as Prime Minister in a no-confidence vote in Parliament on April 10 after several political allies and a key party in his ruling coalition deserted him.
Parliament on Monday elected opposition lawmaker Shahbaz Sharif as the new prime minister.
Sharif took the oath of office inside the stately, white marble palace known as the Presidency in a brief ceremony.
But his elevation won't guarantee a peaceful path forward or solve the country's many economic problems, including high inflation and a soaring energy crisis.
Khan charged that the opposition colluded with the United States to unseat him.
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