Imran Khan Safe, Gun Shots Fired at His Car in Anti-Government March

Islamabad: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan is safe after his vehicle was fired at during the anti-government march he is leading into the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

"I want 2 make it clear 2 Sharif govt that they can do what they want, we will not stop r Azadi March. I will deal with them when we reach Isl," Mr Khan tweeted. (Pakistani Opposition Leader, Cleric Begin Protest Marches)

His party spokeswoman Aneela Khan said the opposition leader was not injured but his vehicle was hit in the city of Gujranwala. The convoy was attacked by a stone-throwing mob and police did not intervene, she said. (Pakistan Anti-Government Marches Advance on Capital)

Television pictures showed local people tearing up posters featuring  Mr Khan's party and clashing with his supporters.

Mr Khan and  cleric Tahir ul-Qadri are both leading protest marches to the capital, where they intend to hold a sit-in until Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif  resigns. Both leaders say the May 2013 general election that brought the Prime Minister to power in a landslide was rigged and are demanding new elections. (Islamabad Sealed Ahead of Imran Khan's March Against Government)

They plan a mass rally in Islamabad to press their claims, at the end of a "long march" -- in reality a motorised cavalcade -- which began from the eastern city of Lahore, on Thursday.

By late Friday morning, Mr Khan's march had reached the garrison and industrial city of Gujranwala around 70 kilometres north of Lahore.

Both Mr Khan and Qadri had originally planned for their marches to converge on Islamabad on Thursday, Pakistan's independence day, but neither will reach the city before late on Friday afternoon. (Siege Mentality Grips Pakistan Ahead of Independence Day)

Security in Islamabad has been ramped up in recent days, with more than 20,000 police and security forces on the streets.

Almost all roads into the city were blocked on Thursday by the authorities with barbed wire and shipping containers, but many barriers were removed on Friday.

Government officials have accused the march organisers of trying to derail democracy.