Clashes erupt after shots fired at Imran Khan

Clashes broke out yesterday as tens of thousands of Pakistani protesters from two anti-government movements converged on the capital, presenting the 15-month-old civilian government with its biggest challenge yet.
Gunshots hit the vehicle of former cricket star and opposition politician Imran Khan as he led his supporters through the eastern city of Gujranwala. Residents brandishing ruling-party posters attacked his convoy, throwing shoes and stones. Khan was not injured, his spokeswoman said.
Khan and populist cleric Tahir ul-Qadri were leading separate processions towards Islamabad where they plan to occupy main streets until PM Nawaz Sharif resigns.
Security was tight in the capital and authorities had blocked several main roads with shipping containers and barbed wire in a effort to thwart the marches.
The protests have raised questions over stability at a time when the nuclear-armed nation is fighting an offensive against Pakistani Taliban militants and the influence of anti-Western and sectarian groups is growing.
Some members of Sharif's ruling party have suggested the protests are secretly backed by elements in the powerful military, which has had an uneasy relationship with Sharif.
How far Khan and Qadri succeed in destabilising the government is likely to depend on the stance taken by a military. While few people think there will be a coup but many officials fear the threat of unrest will increase the military's hold over the government.
The government is struggling to overcome daily power shortages, high unemployment, and spiralling crime - the legacy of decades of corruption and neglect. Anger over the economy means the protests appeal to many disillusioned young Pakistanis.