Updated: January 15, 2013, 12:00 AM
In pictures: Anti-government protests rock Islamabad
epa03536172 Tahir ul Qadri, a prominent religious scholar, talks to supporters during a sit-in protest in Islamabad, Pakistan, 15 January 2013. Thousands of supporters of Tahir ul Qadri, who started his march from the eastern city of Lahore on 13 January, reached Islamabad on 15 January, to demand political reforms. Tahir ul Qadri, wants authorities to implement election reforms ahead of a parliamentary vote which should be held within 60 days after the term of the current assembly expires in March 2013. EPA/T. MUGHAL *** Local Caption *** 03536172.jpg
Thousands of people remained on the streets after the clashes. Farooq Naeem / AFP
Pakistani supporters of the cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri chant slogans during a protest march in Islamabad. Despite early morning clashes on Tuesday, the demonstrations have been largely peaceful. Farooq Naeem / AFP
Thousands of anti-government protesters heeding the call of a cleric rallied in Islamabad on Tuesday for a second day despite early morning clashes with police. Muhammed Muheisen / AP Photo
The protests have galvanised many Pakistanis who say the current government has brought them only misery. Muhammed Muheisen / AP Photo
A city official put the number of protesters at roughly 30,000 on Tuesday. Anjum Naveed / AP Photo
Critics fear that Tahir-ul-Qadri's demands for election reforms may derail the country’s upcoming democratic elections, possibly at the behest of the country’s powerful military. Zohra Bensemra / Reuters