Asia

Pakistan's opposition leader calls off 'million men' march

Associated Press
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Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan flashes a victory sign outside his residence in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. Khan has called off a mass protest aimed at shutting down the capital and forcing the resignation of the prime minister. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) (The Associated Press)

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, center right, a leader in the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, is surrounded by lawyers and his party colleagues as he speaks to journalists outside the Supreme Court, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the Panama Papers case seeking disqualification of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over a financial scandal involving his family. One of the petitions came from the opposition party of cricketer turned politician Imran khan who is threatening to bring tens of thousands of protesters to the capital on Nov. 2 to press for Sharif's disqualification. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) (The Associated Press)

A Pakistani lawyer and supporter of politician Imran Khan talks to a reporter after being arrested by police in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. Khan has called off a mass protest aimed at shutting down the capital and forcing the resignation of the prime minister. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) (The Associated Press)

Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan has called off a mass protest aimed at shutting down the capital and forcing the resignation of the prime minister.

Khan, a former cricketer, announced Tuesday he was calling off his "million men" rally, a day before it was due to take place in Islamabad.

He says his supporters should instead "celebrate victory" on the streets on Wednesday because Pakistani courts are holding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to account.

Khan's announcement followed shortly after the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of several petitions calling for Sharif to be disqualified from office for holding offshore bank accounts. The Court has asked Sharif and his family to submit written responses to the allegations. Details of Sharif's offshore holdings emerged in leaked documents from a Panama law firm.