While anger at the US continues to soar in Pakistan in the wake of the November 26 US air strike against two Pakistani military bases, a new coalition calling itself the “Defend Pakistan Council” is taking to the streets.

With a giant banner calling on Pakistan to “break the shackles of American slavery” the group, which enjoys support from a number of radical militant factions as well as the nation’s traditional conservative wing, seems to be gaining considerable attention.

Tens of thousands rallied over the weekend in Karachi to support the coalition, and banned organizations like the Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) and the Sipah-e Sahaba were represented with speakers.

With the prime minister under indictment and early elections looking like more or less a sure thing, the ruling Pakistani Peoples Party (PPP) is increasingly finding its close ties with the US a liability, and one that is likely to be played up by opposition factions in the next vote.

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