In Pakistan clashes, Khan showed he commands huge crowds. What’s driving them?

By RIAZAT BUTT
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this week has shown how quickly his fervent loyalists can mobilize in large numbers. Within hours of his detention, his supporters torched vehicles and buildings. They attacked police and military facilities to express their fury over the treatment of the 70-year-old opposition leader. Khan’s supporters have emerged as a major force in Pakistan, challenging the authority of the government and military. They are aware that they can shift the political balance through unrelenting pressure. Khan is a former cricketer who has been a star in Pakistan for decades. In politics, he has created a broad coalition by railing against the elites.