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Thousands rally in Pakistani capital

Islamabad - Thousands of supporters of a fiery Pakistani cleric who has been
calling for election reforms descended on Monday onto the capital, as security officials
girded for mass rallies by a movement that has virtually overnight become a powerful
but still mysterious force on the political scene.

The dramatic entry into Pakistani politics of Tahir-ul-Qadri, a preacher who
until recently lived abroad in Canada and had only a modest local following, has
galvanised supporters looking for reforms but worried detractors who fear he'll
derail upcoming elections.

Also on Monday, thousands of Shi’ites finally ended a three-day long protest
in the southwestern city of Quetta in which they demanded better security following
an attack that killed 86 people. They had blocked a main road with dozens of the
victims' coffins, and finally agreed to bury their relatives after Pakistan's leaders
dismissed the government of surrounding Baluchistan province.

The national government is also worried about security in Islamabad in advance
of Qadri's protest. Thousands of police have been deployed in the city, and officers
in riot gear are manning the main roads and streets.

Authorities used shipping containers to block off the part of Islamabad where
most government offices and embassies are located.

About 15 000 of Qadri's supporters left on Sunday in hundreds of vehicles from
the eastern city of Lahore, where the headquarters of his Minhaj-ul-Quran organisation
are located.

They are expected to arrive in Islamabad later on Monday, as more supporters
join the rally along the way.

Television footage showed the marchers crowded into buses and vehicles with Pakistani
flags flying as they made their way toward the capital.

Thousands rally

Even before Qadri arrived in the capital, thousands rallied on the main avenue
running through Islamabad that leads to the government headquarters.

Members of the march set up a make-shift stage on top of one of the shipping
containers that were supposed to block their way.

Male protesters gathered on one side of the avenue while women and children were
on the other, divided by a grass median.

Many of the protesters waved Pakistani flags or photos of Qadri, while songs
on religious themes or in praise of Qadri blared through a loudspeaker.

The crowd appeared to be a mix of longtime Qadri followers and new supporters
who had been inspired by his anti-government message.

"He feels pain for the people while the government feels no pain for the people,"
said Faizan Baig from the northern city of Abbottabad.

The 23-year-old said he had come to Islamabad the night before and slept in a
shrine on the outskirts of the city.

Ineffective government

Qadri's rhetoric has invigorated many Pakistanis like Baig who are angry at the
current administration whose five years in office ends this spring.

They say the current government has succeeded in bringing little but electricity
blackouts, unemployment, terror attacks and corruption.

Qadri returned to Pakistan in December after living for years in Canada, where
he's also a citizen. He heads a religious network in Lahore and gained some international
prominence by writing a 2010 fatwa, or religious opinion, condemning terrorism.

But he was never a national political figure until this winter, when his calls
for reforms ahead of elections galvanised many Pakistanis disenchanted by the existing
parties. The cleric's vaguely worded demands include vetting of political candidates
to make sure they're honest and taking steps to even out the political playing field
so more people can participate in the political process.

But some of Qadri's comments have worried observers who fear the cleric is a
front for the military to disrupt the democratic process just as it prepares for
a historic transfer of power from one civilian government to another.

He has called for a role in the military in picking of the caretaker government.
Under Pakistan's constitution, once the current government names an election date,
a caretaker government takes over as a way to ensure impartiality in the election
process, usually for a period of 60 to 90 days.

Qadri has said he does not want to delay the elections but also says if the caretaker
government needs more than 90 days to ensure reforms, then that's not against the
constitution.

Those comments, as well as questions about where his funding is coming from,
have sparked fears Qadri is really trying to derail the upcoming vote on behalf
of the Pakistani military, which is believed to dislike both the main political
parties vying for power, and pave the way for a military-backed caretaker to hold
power indefinitely. Qadri has denied any such involvement.