Political Turmoil In Pakistan

NPR

Published September 5, 2014 at 1:20 PM EDT

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Supporters gesture during a speech of Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan as part of an anti-government protest near the prime minister's residence in Islamabad on September 4, 2014. Pakistani opposition groups resumed talks with the government in a bid to end the political crisis rocking the country, but a stalemate over demands for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation dragged on. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters in Islamabad this week. The demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. They say his election last summer was rigged.

One of the opposition leaders is Imran Khan, the former cricket star. He says the government’s response to the protests amounts to state-sponsored terrorism.

The BBC’s Owen Bennett-Jones joins Here & Now’s Meghna Chakarbarti to discuss what this means for Pakistan and the region.

Note: This BBC interview can be heard in the Here & Now podcast or with the WBUR app.

Guest

Owen Bennett-Jones, freelance journalist and one of the hosts of “Newshour” on the BBC World Service. He tweets @owenbennettjone.