ISLAMABAD - A Pakistani political leader will lead a rally in the country's northwest on Saturday to block trucks carrying supplies to NATO forces in the neighboring Afghanistan as protest against the U.S. drone strikes.
Cricketer-turned politician, Imran Khan, head of the Tehrik-e- Insaf (Justice Movement) will join the protestors in Peshawar, the main supply route for NATO forces, his party said. Several opposition Islamist groups and tribal elders have also backed the protest plan.
The protest comes just a day after two U.S. drone aircraft rained missiles into North Waziristan tribal region which killed 25 people including women and children, according to tribesmen in the region.
Public anger is running high against the U.S. drone strikes and there are no signs the CIA will stop the attacks despite Pakistan' s protest.
Imran Khan said on Friday he would stage a sit-in along with thousands of people near the main supply route to block the NATO supply lorries, saying that innocent people are killed in the U.S. strikes. He also condemned the government for its failure to stop the strikes.
Khan invited all the political forces to join his two-day sit- in, which will also continue on Sunday.
He categorically warned the government not to create any sorts of hindrances to his proposed two-day sit-in program.
Local TV channels reported that the government had stopped NATO supply trucks in Punjab province from coming to northwest Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province due to the protest.
Officials said that security arrangements have been made on the occasion of the protest.
Some 70 percent supplies are transported to 150,000 NATO troops through Pakistan. Xinhua
Cricketer-turned politician, Imran Khan, head of the Tehrik-e- Insaf (Justice Movement) will join the protestors in Peshawar, the main supply route for NATO forces, his party said. Several opposition Islamist groups and tribal elders have also backed the protest plan.
The protest comes just a day after two U.S. drone aircraft rained missiles into North Waziristan tribal region which killed 25 people including women and children, according to tribesmen in the region.
Public anger is running high against the U.S. drone strikes and there are no signs the CIA will stop the attacks despite Pakistan' s protest.
Imran Khan said on Friday he would stage a sit-in along with thousands of people near the main supply route to block the NATO supply lorries, saying that innocent people are killed in the U.S. strikes. He also condemned the government for its failure to stop the strikes.
Khan invited all the political forces to join his two-day sit- in, which will also continue on Sunday.
He categorically warned the government not to create any sorts of hindrances to his proposed two-day sit-in program.
Local TV channels reported that the government had stopped NATO supply trucks in Punjab province from coming to northwest Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province due to the protest.
Officials said that security arrangements have been made on the occasion of the protest.
Some 70 percent supplies are transported to 150,000 NATO troops through Pakistan. Xinhua
