The leaders of two Pakistani protest movements vowed yesterday to keep their protests alive until Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigns, after thousands entered the country’s capital in the biggest challenge yet to the 15-month-old civilian government.
“I will not leave here until I have got real freedom for the country,” Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who heads the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, told thousands of supporters who followed him into Islamabad the day before. “Decide Nawaz Sharif! Resign and announce elections.”
Populist cleric Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri, who spearheaded a separate protest march to the capital, planned to stage a sit-in with his followers and deliver a speech at around midday.
Photo: Reuters
“Dr. Qadri will present the ‘Demands of Revolution March 2014,’ which includes stepping down of Nawaz Sharif and his government and his immediate arrest,” Qadri’s spokesman, Shahid Mursaleen said.
The unrest has raised questions about Pakistan’s stability, at a time when the nuclear-armed nation of 180 million is waging an offensive against Pakistani Taliban and when the influence of anti-Western and sectarian groups is growing.
On Friday, a stone-throwing mob attacked Khan’s convoy as he led supporters through the eastern city of Gujranwala. Gunshots were fired but Khan was not injured, his spokeswoman said. The government said there was no shooting, and police arrested 16 ruling party activists.
In Islamabad, authorities have blocked roads with shipping containers and barbed wire in an effort to control the marches, and riot police have been out in force.
“We think Imran Khan will make a better country for the youth,” Muhammad Taraki, 25, said at Khan’s rally point. “I have a bachelor’s degree, but I cannot get a job.”
Some members of Sharif’s party have suggested the protests are secretly backed by elements in the military, which has had an uneasy relationship with Sharif.
To what extent Khan and ul-Qadri can destabilize the government is likely to depend on the stance taken by the armed forces, which have a long history of staging coups.
Few people fear a coup, but many officials think the threat of unrest could increase the military’s hold over the government.
The military has been frustrated with the government, in particular over the prosecution for treason of former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf.
There has also been disagreement between the government and the army on how to deal with the Taliban. The government insisted on peace talks but eventually the army launched an offensive.
The government is struggling to overcome power shortages, high unemployment and spiraling crime — the legacy of decades of corruption and neglect. Anger over the economy means the protests appeal to many disillusioned young Pakistanis.
Leaders of the two protests command intense personal loyalty from their followers. Khan is a famed former international cricketer, known for his charity work, who now heads the third- largest legislative bloc in Pakistan. He is protesting alleged irregularities in last year’s voting.
Ul-Qadri, a cleric and political activist who usually lives in Canada, runs a network of schools and Islamic charities. His followers say they intend to occupy an area of Islamabad called Zero Point.
Most observers expect the military to play referee — to maintain security but not support action to force Sharif out.
“Imran will not get from the army what he was expecting,” an analyst close to the military said. “If there was any confusion earlier about whether the army would help Imran or rescue him or topple the government, there should be none now. There is no question of army intervention.”
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