Violence Erupts In Pakistan

Clashes have been reported in Pakistan after shots were fired at opposition leader Imran Khan's vehicle during his protest march on the capital Islamabad.

Mr Khan was not injured but violence subsequently erupted in the city of Gujranwala between demonstrators and government supporters.

This protest is being seen as the strongest challenge to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif since he took office.

Anti-government cleric Tahirul Qadri is also leading a convoy to the capital.


In a post on its Facebook Page, Mr Khan's PTI party alleged that a group of supporters of the governing PML-N party fired at Mr Khan's convoy and pelted it with stones.

The PML-N has yet to respond but the government has denounced the marches as an attempt to derail democracy.

Nawaz Sharif took office last year in what was Pakistan's first peaceful democratic transfer of power from one civilian government to another.

Earlier, Mr Khan addressed supporters in Gujranwala, where he paid tribute to the energy of the demonstrators.

"I am going to Islamabad and I will ensure that all of us are free," he was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.

Thousands of Mr Qadri's supporters have also been galvanised to make the journey to Islamabad.

Both protest camps want the prime minister to resign, angry about the sinking economy, growing militancy, and failure to deliver core services such as a steady electricity supply.

Mr Khan has also accused Mr Sharif of failing to probe fraud in last year's polls.