Thousands of anti-government protesters heeding the call of a firebrand cleric rallied in the streets of the Pakistani capital on Tuesday for a second day despite early morning clashes with police who launched tear gas and fired shots into the air to push back stone-throwing demonstrators.

The protest called by Tahir-ul-Qadri, who has rocketed to national prominence after his return from Canada late last year, has galvanized many Pakistanis who say the current government has brought them only misery.

But critics fear that Qadri and his demands for election reforms may derail the country's upcoming democratic elections, possibly at the behest of the country's powerful military.

During a speech, Qadri called for the government to resign and called on his followers to stay in the streets of the capital until their demands are met. Qadri said that the Pakistani government has failed to provide security to citizens. Qadri said the conclusion of the long march was the beginning of the revolution.