REPLAY 100,000 attend Imran Khan rally as his political momentum grows

Описание: (25 Dec 2011)
++DAY SHOTS++
1. Wide of opposition politician Imran Khan walking on stage, greeting crowds
2. Pan of sea of supporters
3. Various of supporters waving flags
4. Mid of Khan with other party officials
5. Various of crowds
6. Mid of security
7. Close of lighting, as darkness begins to descend
++NIGHT SHOTS++
8. Various of crowds
9. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Imran Khan, leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice Party):
"Our first priority is to establish a just and equitable society in Pakistan and create a strong judicial system. We want to create courts that don't discriminate. Today, on behalf of the people of Pakistan, I tell the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, to stick to his guns. I tell the Chief Justice to continue his fight against the political mafia that doesn't want justice and fair play and is hatching conspiracies against him, and that the people of the PTI are completely with you."
10. Various of crowds
STORYLINE
More than 100,000 people rallied in support of Pakistani cricket legend and opposition politician Imran Khan in the southern city of Karachi on Sunday, further cementing his status as a rising force in politics.
His message of cracking down on corruption and standing up to the US has found new resonance at a time when Pakistanis are fed up with the country's chronic insecurity and economic malaise.
"Our first priority is to establish a just and equitable society in Pakistan and create a strong judicial system," Khan told the cheering crowd as they enthusiastically waved the green, red and white flag of his party.
Khan also gave his backing to Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, telling him to "continue his fight against the political mafia that doesn't want justice and fair play."
The 59-year-old Khan entered politics 15 years ago when he founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), or the Movement for Justice Party, but has struggled to translate his fame into votes.
His political fortunes shifted in October when he drew over 100,000 people to a rally in the eastern city of Lahore.
Since then, Khan has attracted many politicians to his party, including several prominent figures.
National elections are not scheduled until 2013, but Khan and other opposition figures have been pressing the government to hold earlier polls. He has been holding large rallies to build momentum and draw politicians to his party.
A senior police officer estimated there were 100,000 to 150,000 people in the crowd. The event was held outside Khan's traditional support base in Punjab province, where Lahore is the capital. Karachi is Pakistan's largest city and is the capital of Sindh province.
Khan has been especially popular with the country's urban middle class youth, and many of the people at the rally were young Pakistanis wearing Western-style clothing.
Two prominent politicians who have joined Khan's party in recent months include former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who had a falling out with the governing Pakistan People's Party, and Javed Hashmi, who was a key member of the main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Khan's rising popularity could be a concern for the US, given his harsh criticism of the Pakistani government's cooperation with Washington in the fight against Islamist militants.
He has been especially critical of US drone strikes targeting militants in Pakistan and has argued that the country's alliance with Washington is the main reason Pakistan is facing a homegrown Taliban insurgency.
Khan claimed his mass mobilisation campaign would bring a "tsunami that would destroy injustice and cooperation."

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