DHAKA: Thousands of protesters have gathered in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad after arriving in big convoys from Lahore.

Rally leaders Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri demanded that prime minister Nawaz Sharif step down, alleging rigging in the 2013 elections.

Qadri, an anti-government cleric, told his supporters in a midday speech to continue protesting until they bring a ‘peaceful revolution’.

Last year’s election saw the first civilian government transfer of power.

There was tight security in Islamabad as the protesters arrived in poor weather by truck, jeeps and cars after travelling the 350km from Lahore to Islamabad.

Cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and cleric Tahirul Qadri, who have separate groups of supporters, have vowed to together bring one million followers on to the streets of the city.

Khan, who heads the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, said that the government was illegitimate, citing fraud and a failure to organise a probe into the elections, reports the BBC.

BDST: 1735 HRS, AUG 16, 2014