Cleric calls for 'democratic revolution' in Pakistan

Tahir-ul-Qadri, a Canadian-Pakistani cleric who led a two-day protest march into the Pakistani capital, has called for a "revolution" in Pakistan, after a deadline he set for the government to resign passes without incident.

Qadri addressed a crowd of tens of thousands of people gathered outside the parliament in Islamabad on Tuesday.

"We are here in front of the parliament house just to save our country from collapse and from complete ruin," he said in a his address.

"We need substantial changes and reforms in our democratic political electoral system. We want to put democracy in its letter and spirit in place."

The cleric demand's for a caretaker government to be established and the assemblies be dissolved have not been heard as the deadline Qadri issued for the government to resign had passed with no response.

Earlier on Tuesday, scuffles occurred between police and protesters who converged on the parliament as part of the "long march" overnight, supporting Qadri in his demand of a peaceful "revolution" and the dissolution of parliament.

Qadri had given the elected government, whose five-year mandate ends in March, until 11:00am local time on Tuesday (06:00 GMT) to dissolve parliament. The country's Supreme Court, in an apparent response, issued a statement on Tuesday morning declaring that the country's elections would be held on time.

The Pakistani capital, with a population of over a million, is at a standstill. Everything is paralysed. Schools are closed, people are in their homes.

It was not clear who fired the gunshots on Tuesday morning. An AFP reporter saw police fire tear gas shells at the crowd. Protesters were brandishing sticks and had pelted stones at police around 500 metres from parliament. The AFP reporter said protesters smashed vehicle windows.

Television footage showed police shooting into the air to push back protesters and a man on the ground being beaten by what appeared to be protesters. Demonstrators threw rocks at a vehicle, while others held up shells and an empty tear gas canister. Helicopters could be heard circling overhead.

Organisers of the march accused the authorities of trying to provoke them into violence.

Earlier on Monday night, the protesters continued their march and reached the edge of the capital's "Red Zone", which houses parliament and other key buildings.

A large number of security forces had been deployed, and shipment containers and barbed wire were installed to curtail the movements of the protesters. Police, private guards and paramilitary soldiers maintained scanner gates at the entry points into the protest area.

Qadri's demand for the military to have a say in a caretaker administration and for reforms has been seen by critics as a ploy by elements of the establishment, particularly the military, to delay elections and sow political chaos.

Qadri's followers dismantled a first barricade of shipping containers separating the initial venue of the protest from parliament and other sensitive buildings in the government and diplomatic enclave.

His supporters say the cleric has given a voice to masses ruled by a feudal and industrial elite incapable of redressing a weak economy, a crippling energy crisis, insurgencies and sectarian violence.

Mobile phone networks were shut down to stop fighters from detonating bombs as Pakistan suffers frequently from Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked violence.

The government says the Taliban have threatened to attack the gathering. The Taliban, however, have denied that claim.

If held on schedule, the election will mark the first democratic transition of power between two civilian governments in Pakistan's 65-year history, which has been marked by bloodless coups and extensive periods of military rule.