10/30/11 Political Shift Seen in Rally in Pakistan (New York Times)

Political Shift Seen in Rally in Pakistan

By SALMAN MASOOD

Published: October 30, 2011

Islammabad, Pakistan.

An antigovernment ralley with more than 100,000 people was led by  Imran Khan on Sunday (10/30) evening.

"The rally represented what supporters and some political analysts said was Mr. Khan’s emergence as a serious challenger to the governing Pakistan Peoples Party and its longtime rival, the Pakistan Muslim League-N." (New York Times)

"The government is not required to call a general election until February 2013, but with a sinking economy, rising inflation, power struggles and terrorism taking a toll on the nation, opposition parties have begun pushing for an earlier date." (New York Times)

"Mr. Khan led 2,000 people in a protest outside the Parliament in Islamabad on Friday, opposing American drone strikes, and he reiterated his stance at the rally on Sunday." (New York Times)

Mr. Kahn said, “My message to America is that we will have friendship with you, but we will not accept any slavery,” he said. “We will help you in a respectable withdrawal of your troops from Afghanistan, but we will not launch a military operation in Pakistan for you.” (New York TImes)