Pakistan’s ex-PM defends decision to call off planned sit-in

By RIAZ KHAN
Associated Press

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan is defending his decision to call off a planned, opened-ended rally and sit-in this week in the capital, Islamabad, saying he wanted to avoid more violence. Khan spoke on Friday at a news conference in the northwestern city of Peshawar. The rally ended abruptly on Thursday morning, after thousands of Khan supporters had marched into central Islamabad to protest outside Parliament and demand early elections. Some from his Tehreek-e-Insaf party were unhappy with Khan’s decision as the sit-in had expected to go on until the government met the demands of Khan, now Pakistan’s top opposition leader.