Pakistan opposition parties start anti-gov’t march towards Islamabad

Thousands of supporters of Pakistan's oposition parties have started marching to the Pakistani capital Islamabad in a show of opposition to Prime Minister Imran Khan ahead of no confidence next week.

Supporters from the party of former PM Nawaz Sharif began their "long march" on Saturday in the eastern city of Lahore, the political bastion of Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, reports Al Jazeera.

"Prime Minister will resign before we reach Islamabad," Maryam Nawaz, Sharif's daughter and political heir, told the crowd before the march began.

Thousands of PML-N supporters in different towns in Punjab are preparing to join the march which is to cover some 300km (186 miles).

PML-N is not the only party heading to the capital to put pressure on Khan. Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, head of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) party, is also marching on the capital, accompanied by thousands of supporters.

Meanwhile, to counter these demonstrations, Khan also called on workers to rally in Islamabad on Sunday in a show of support.

In preparation for these marches and in anticipation of clashes, riot police have been deployed in the capital, where major roads have been blocked by shipping containers.

On Saturday, Pakistan's interior minister Sheikh Rashid said he had advised Khan to call early elections after the federal budget for the fiscal year is presented.

Khan is expected to face a vote of no-confidence in a move sponsored by an alliance of opposition groups.

The move to remove Khan is led by the main opposition parties, the PMLN and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).