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23-10-2021
By SJA Jafri
LAHORE/ ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI: Dozens of cops and people have been killed and injured while hundreds detained in clashes between protesters and members of a religious cum political party during last two days while the panic and fear also spread across Pakistan, sources and victims told PMI.
Sources further claimed that more clashes between activists and security forces are expected in next three days.
Thousands of supporters of the banned far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have departed the eastern Pakistan city of Lahore, clashing for a second straight day with police who lobbed tear gas shells into the crowd, a party spokesman and witnesses said.
The group said on Saturday that five of its supporters have died in the clashes while at least two police officials were also killed.
“Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan lost two people Friday night and three more today to police firing,” the party tweeted on Saturday.
TLP members began their journey on Friday with the goal of reaching the capital, Islamabad, to pressure the government to release Saad Rizvi, the party’s head.
Rizvi was arrested last year amid demonstrations against France over the publication of caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
Police in Lahore would not comment on the claim, but on Friday night said two of its officers had died.
“The clashes are still ongoing,” Rana Arif, a spokesman for Lahore police, told media. “This is a defensive operation by police against the mob … We are only doing shelling to control the crowd.”
Pakistan had deployed police and paramilitary personnel to prevent the demonstrators from leaving Lahore. Authorities also suspended mobile phone service in parts of Lahore and blocked roads on Friday.
The situation worsened when police tried to stop the rally-goers, witnesses said.
The violence disrupted normal life in parts of Lahore, where residents were facing problems in reaching home because of the closure of some roads and continued clashes between police and TLP supporters.
Lahore is located about 350km (210 miles) from Islamabad, and most of the rally-goers are walking, although they had arranged buses and cars to reach the capital in a convoy.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who was in Dubai to watch Pakistan compete in cricket’s T20 World Cup, was ordered by Prime Minister Imran Khan to return and monitor the situation.
Earlier, violent clashes erupted between Pakistan’s security forces and a far-right group in the eastern city of Lahore, killing at least two policemen and injuring several demonstrators, a police spokesman and witnesses said.
The violence happened on Friday after thousands of members of the far-right Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan (TLP) party launched their “long march” from the city towards the capital, Islamabad, demanding that the government release the leader of their outlawed party.
The rally goers want to go to Islamabad to pressure the government to release Saad Rizvi, the head of the TLP. Rizvi was arrested last year amid demonstrations against France for publishing caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
Pakistan has deployed police and paramilitary personnel to prevent the demonstrators from leaving Lahore. Authorities also suspended mobile phone service in parts of Lahore and blocked roads.
The situation worsened when police tried to stop the rally goers, witnesses said.
The violence disrupted normal life in parts of Lahore, where residents were facing problems in reaching home because of the closure of some roads and continued clashes between police and TLP supporters.
Sajid Saifi, a spokesman for Rizvi’s party, blamed police and paramilitary forces for initiating violence. He said the use of force by authorities injured hundreds of people. Some were having a breathing problem because of the use of tear gas, he added.
Saifi alleged that police were not allowing them to transport their injured supporters to hospital.
According to witnesses, rally goers were walking towards a highway leading to Islamabad.
Supporters of Rizvi’s party shared videos showing police firing tear gas shells as some of the injured protesters waited for medical aid.
Police spokesman Rana Arif said two of the police officers were killed and another was injured when protesters threw stones. Rizvi’s supporters said several protesters were wounded when police swung batons and fired tear gas.
Shipping containers were also being brought in to block the main Islamabad highway and surrounding roads to keep protesters from entering the capital from other nearby cities, towns and villages.
Lahore is located about 350km (210 miles) from Islamabad, and most of the rally-goers are walking, although they had arranged buses and cars to reach the capital in a convoy.
The TLP has a history of staging protests and sit-ins to press their demands.
On Friday, Rizvi’s party leader Ajmal Qadri said his supporters launched the “long march” after talks with the government failed to secure Rizvi’s release.
Rizvi’s party gained prominence in Pakistan’s 2018 elections, campaigning on a single issue: defending the country’s blasphemy law, which calls for the death penalty for anyone who insults Islam. It also has a history of staging violent protests to pressure the government to accept its demands.
The latest development came at a time when Prime Minister Imran Khan was visiting Lahore.
Khan is expected to leave for Saudi Arabia on an official visit on Saturday.
Friday’s rally against Khan’s government also came amid increasing price rises in the country.
Surging prices of food, gas, electricity and other items have made him unpopular, although he still holds the majority in the parliament.
