After his return to power in 2013, a protest movement led by Imran Khan, Tahir-ul-Qadri and supported by rival factions of the Muslim League, such as the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PLM-Q) and Awami Muslim League (AML), mounted pressure on the Sharif government. Khan demanded Nawaz's resignation over allegations that the 2013 general election was rigged. Nawaz claimed to have support from the majority of the parties in Parliament. PML-N claimed that the elections had been the most free and fair in the country's history. Nawaz was also criticised by his opponents for running a system of patronage in which relatives were appointed to key state positions such as his brother as Chief Minister, and other relatives as cabinet ministers.
