The cricket hero-turned-politician Imran Khan started his political innings with a towering 'sixer' and an 'in-swinger', and threw the gauntlet to both President Asif Ali Zardari and PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif here at the Minar-e-Pakistan public meeting on Sunday.
The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) chief arrived at the Minar-e Pakistan at about 5 pm, where a huge crowd, overwhelmingly comprising youths, party workers, and supporters had gathered for the 'Save Pakistan' rally.
Political analysts Sohail Warriach and Iftikhar Ahmad described the Sunday 'Save Pakistan' rally as the biggest ever since 10th April 1986 when Benazir Bhutto landed in Lahore after 7 years' self-exile.
They said that the rally surely transformed the politics in the country as PTI established its credential as the third alternative force to PPP and PML-N.
Some observers said that Imran Khan had put up a credible political challenge to the Sharif brothers on their own turf since their entry in politics in 1985. They said that Sunday's impressive show was the culmination of Imran Khan's 15 years' political struggle.
One analyst said that Imran Khan had succeeded in galvanising the youth of the country who enthusiastically participated in the 'Save Pakistan' rally without official patronage. "This is a new trend in Pakistan's politics," he added.
Popular singer Shahzad Roy and some other rock stars presented popular songs to warm up the rally. Before Imran Khan's speech, Punjab PTI General Secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid, Lahore President Mehmood ul Rasheed, PTI presidents of Punjab, Sindh, KP and Balochistan and PTI women wing president Fauzia Kasuri and former Punjab Governor Azhar also addressed the mammoth public meeting. They said that the 'Save Pakistan' rally was the beginning of the change for the people of Pakistan, and hit hard the corrupt and opportunist elements.