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The move came as a populist cleric, who is believed to be backed by the military, demanded the resignation of the government in protests attended by thousands of followers in the heart of the capital Islamabad.

The Supreme Court gave authorities 24 hours to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and 16 others.

Pakistan's stock exchange fell by nearly three percent after news of the court order, highlighting anxiety over political uncertainty.

The cleric, Muhammad Tahirul Qadri, threatened to remain camped out near the federal parliament with thousands of supporters until his demands were met. Qadri recently returned home from Canada to lead a call for reforms that has made him an instant hit among Pakistanis disillusioned with the state.

It was not clear how much of a potent threat the two events posed for the U.S.-backed civilian government, but the court order and the mass protest around the parliament complex are the latest in a series of challenges for the administration.

In a speech from behind a bullet-proof shield in front of parliament, Qadri praised the military and the judiciary, the country's two other power centers.

"(The government) has wasted and brought a bad end to our armed forces, those armed forces who are highly sincere, highly competent and highly capable and highly professional," he said, alternating between Urdu and English.

"Even they can't do anything because the political government isn't able to deliver anything from this land. Judgments are being passed by our great, independent judiciary but the government is not ready to implement them."

A spokesman for the cleric said protesters would remain camped around parliament until the government dissolved the legislature and announced the formation of a caretaker government.

At one point, security forces fired in the air and used tear gas to try and control the crowd. Interior Minister Rehman Malik later told local television channels the government would not cave in to Qadri.

"We will not accept Qadri's pressure because his demands are unconstitutional," Malik said.

DIVISIVE

Qadri's campaign has divided Pakistanis. Some hold him up as a champion of reform, others see him as a possible stooge of the military, which has a history of coups and interfering in elections.

But he can mobilize thousands of members of his Minhaj-ul-Quran religious organization, which runs a network of schools and clinics and organizes relief for victims of natural disasters.

"He's spent huge money and he's putting his life on the line, he's here to redeem the people," said Mohammed Waqas Iqbal, a local government official who had travelled from a village in northern Punjab to attend the rally in Islamabad.

Like many of the protesters, Iqbal is an active member of Qadri's organization, attending daily prayers at a mosque it runs in his village.

Qadri, who holds a doctorate in Islamic law, has impressed his followers with his readiness to leave a comfortable life in Canada to brave the potential security threats associated with participating in Pakistani politics.

"He's an honest man, that's why we believe in him," said Waqas Ali, a garment wholesaler from the eastern city of Lahore, who said he had spent his own money to fund the journey to Islamabad, and was sleeping on the streets.

Qadri also appeared to have found some supporters who are not members of his religious movement but who hope he may be able to tackle the corruption, economic stagnation and chronic power crisis that has festered under the government of President Asif Ali Zardari.

"Dr Qadri could have stayed in Canada with a luxurious lifestyle, but he came to Pakistan to fight for the people," said Hassan Khan, a bus conductor.

"If I run out of money I am willing to sell my blood for this struggle."