Pakistan Protesters Head Towards Capital

Thousands of opposition activists in Pakistan are heading towards the capital, Islamabad, demanding that the Prime Minister Nowaz Sharif step down.
Pakistan Protesters Head Towards Capital

They are heeding to separate calls by two leading figures, Imran Khan of the PTI party, and an influential religious leader, Tahir Ul-Qadri, to converge on the capital to mount pressure on the prime minister.

The rallies are seen as the strongest challenge yet to the government of Nawaz Sharif, just a year after he took office in the first democratic transfer of power in a country long plagued by military coups.

The protesters set out on Thursday from the city of Lahore in cars, trucks and buses, while others walked or drove motorcycles as they embarked on the 300km long journey to Islamabad.

Khan, the leader of the PTI, the third-largest party in parliament, is demanding a fresh general election, alleging that Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz party rigged the 2013 polls.

Qadri, a Canada-based religious leader and a former member of parliament, runs a large international network of religious schools. He says Sharif's government is corrupt.

Comments

COMMUNIQUE OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF IBADAN ECCLESIASTICAL PROVINCE MEETING AT THE POPE JOHN PAUL II PASTORAL CENTRE, ADO-EKITI FROM 11TH TO 12TH AUGUST, 2014

Preamble We, Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, comprising Ibadan Archdiocese, Ondo, Ekiti, Ilorin, Oyo and Osogbo Dioceses have held our meeting at the Pastoral Institute, Ado Ekiti from 11th till 12th August 2014. We have prayerfully deliberated on matters of pastoral, spiritual, social and political interest and now conclude with the following communique: 1. The Pallium, of the new Archbishop of Ibadan Province We thank God Almighty for the event of the imposition of the pallium, the symbol of the authority of the Metropolitan archbishop, on the new Archbishop of Ibadan, Most Reverend Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin on the 29th of June 2014 in Rome by His Holiness, Pope Francis. We thank the large Nigerian delegation that witnessed the occasion and pray that the Archbishop’s tenure witness unprecedented pastoral progress in our Province. 2. The Ebola Epidemic. The Ebola epidemic is a source of worry to all peoples all over the world. We highly commend the government ...

The Great Chinese Exodus Many Chinese are leaving for cleaner air, better schools and more opportunity. But Beijing is keeping its eye on them.

A recent report showed that 64% of China's rich are either migrating overseas or have plans to leave the country. Political scientist James To, who has written a book on the subject, tells the WSJ's Deborah Kan how the Chinese government is using propaganda campaigns abroad to ensure loyalty from overseas Chinese. Even when the emperors did their utmost to keep them at home, the Chinese ventured overseas in search of knowledge, fortune and adventure. Manchu Qing rulers thought those who left must be criminals or conspirators and once forced the entire coastal population of southern China to move at least 10 miles inland. But even that didn't put an end to wanderlust. Sailing junks ferried merchants to Manila on monsoon winds to trade silk and porcelain for silver. And in the 19th century, steamships carried ar...

Pastor arraigned over alleged rape, fraud

A 23-year-old professed Celestial Church prophet, Adewale Adeleke, on Tuesday appeared before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, over alleged fraud and rape. Adeleke, who resides at No. 2 Ajibola Street, Agbado Ijaiye, Lagos, was arraigned on a four-count charge of stealing, obtaining by false pretext, impersonation and rape. Prosecutor Chris Takim told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 26 at 6pm at the premises of Original Inn Hotel, Ebute Meta. Takim said the accused approached his victim claiming to be spiritually informed about her problems and had solutions to them through a scheduled prayer session. According to the police prosecutor, the complainant met him at the hotel on the scheduled appointment were he obtained her mobile phone and N13, 000 as mobilisation fees. “Adeleke collected her phones and N13, 000 to begin the prayer session with her and later forced her to strip naked as a prerequisite for her prayer to be answered. “Ade...

Welcome to Paul Umoren's Blog

Search This Blog