ISLAMABAD -- Earlier this month, hundreds of people marched through Islamabad's central commercial district on a Friday afternoon carrying signs and chanting slogans such as "Tax the rich" and "Reduce tax on salaried people."
The protest passed peacefully but was still an ominous signal for the government of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. His coalition administration took power in March after almost a month of bargaining in the wake of a general election marred by alleged military-directed manipulation. It excludes Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) even though candidates from the party, founded by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, have the most seats in Parliament.
