Imran vows not to resign 'at any cost'

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his resolve not to cave into pressure from his political rival and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl who has called for the anti-government "Azadi March" on October 31 in Islamabad.

In a meeting with senior journalists and analysts, Khan on Wednesday expressed his views about the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) threat of launching the protest, issues of inflation, unemployment and foreign policy, reports The Express Tribune.

"There is no question of my resignation and I will not resign. 'Dharna' is agenda based, and it has foreign support," the Prime Minister was quoted as saying.

"I don't understand what Maulana's problem is," he said. "I don't understand the agenda of the opposition."

His remarks came after the Pakistan government had said earlier in the day that it would allow the Azadi March as long as parameters laid out by courts for a lawful protest were not breached.

The decision was taken on after a team delegated to negotiate with the opposition presented its recommendations to the Prime Minister, Dawn news reported.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl had announced in June that his party had decided to hold the anti-government long march to Islamabad in the month of October in a bid to topple the government, which he said had come to power through "fake" elections.

Fazl had first set October 27 as the date for the long march, but later deferred it till October 31.