Foreign Media Terms PTI’s Rally A ‘Surprise Show

Cricket legend and opposition politician Imran Khan, according to a foreign news agency, railed against the government and opposition before more than 100,000 flag-waving supporters Sunday, establishing him a force in Pakistani politics. Khan, 58, entered politics 15 years ago when he founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or the Movement for Justice Party, but up to now he has struggled to translate his fame into votes. The rally in the eastern city of Lahore indicated his message might have found new resonance at a time when Pakistanis are fed up with the country s chronic insecurity and economic malaise.

 

“I have come here to register my hatred against this corrupt system,” said 29-year-old Nadeem Iqbal, who attended the rally. A poll conducted by the U.S.-based Pew Research Center in June found Khan, the captain of Pakistan s 1992 world champion cricket team, to be the most popular political figure in the country.

Khan s rising popularity could be a concern for the U.S., given his harsh criticism of the Pakistani government s cooperation with Washington in the fight against Islamist militants. He has been especially critical of U.S. drone strikes targeting militants in Pakistan s rugged tribal region along the Afghan border. The latest suspected strike killed six alleged militants Sunday.