Pakistanis stage rare protest to ‘save Pakistan, fight Taliban’

LAHORE, PAKISTAN – Hundreds of protesters marched to Lahore’s General Post Office on Tuesday armed with letters urging the government to step up its fight against Islamist insurgents.

“Mr. President, we too must fight the Taliban, who have chosen to fight against the state and who routinely terrorize and kill innocent Pakistanis. It is incumbent upon you to mobilize the nation against the scourge of the Taliban before it is too late,” read the letter, which was circulated through email and Facebook ahead of the demonstration.

Though relatively small in size, the demonstration reflects growing concern in Pakistan’s urban centers against the expansion of Taliban forces in the northwest.