Cricketer draws large crowds to rally

news reports estimated that as many as 100 000 supporters crammed into a field next to the iconic white marble mausoleum of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, on the anniversary of Jinnah’s birthday.
Khan told backers that, if his party came to power, he would ensure that the rule of law was applied evenly and would work to eradicate the taint of corruption found at every layer of Pakistani society.
“We will create a police force independent of political influence, based purely on merit,” Khan told the crowd. “When I am in government, one day they will even stop Imran Khan’ own car” for speeding.
“We will control corruption,” Khan continued. “God willing, we will end corruption in 90 days.”
He has also drawn large crowds at rallies in other cities.
Once regarded as a fringe player in Pakistani politics, Khan is building formidable momentum at a time when the country’s ruling Pakistan People’s Party, led by President Asif Ali Zardari, is frail amid rumors that the powerful military could overthrow the government.
Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani dismissed talk of a coup, saying the army “has and will continue to support the democratic process in the country.”
Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry said the high court would never endorse any unconstitutional government takeover.
“There is no question of a (military) takeover, and rest assured that good times will come,” he said.
Driving the rumors of a coup is the military’s anger over the so-called Memogate scandal, which centers on allegations by Pakistani American businessman Mansoor Ijaz.
He says then-Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani sought the American government’s aid in preventing a military takeover of Zardari’s government in the wake of the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May.
In return the Pakistani government would eliminate a wing of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency that maintains links with Afghan insurgent groups and give US troops “a green light” to root out Afghan militants hiding in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
Haqqani, who denies any involvement with the memo, was forced to resign, and the Supreme Court has taken up the case.- washingtonpost.com