Army called in Islamabad : Pro-Qadri protest takes violent turn

Author: Agencies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army deployed troops on the streets of the federal capital Sunday after thousands of stone-throwing supporters of Mumtaz Qadri, who was hanged last month, clashed with police in chaotic scenes.

An estimated 25,000 supporters of the former police bodyguard gathered in Rawalpindi in the afternoon to offer his chehlum prayers, before turning toward the heavily-barricaded capital, which was patrolled by hundreds of police and paramilitary soldiers. Several major arteries leading to Islamabad were closed by authorities to block the crowd’s route.

Riot police carrying batons and shields fired tear gas to try to prevent them pushing closer to the city’s centre. Protesters removed containers and blockades on way to the Parliament House and also set some containers to fire before staging a sit-in outside the building, where fiery anti-government speeches were delivered.

A military spokesperson tweeted late Sunday that the army had been requisitioned to ‘control’ the situation and secure the Red Zone around Parliament.

Separately, around 80 to 100 protesters belonging to Anjuman Tulba Islam (ATI) attacked the Karachi Press Club (KPC) Sunday afternoon where they resorted to aerial firing, manhandled journalists and set a vehicle belonging to Jaag TV on fire, officials and eye witnesses said.

The ATI workers were protesting on the occasion of Mumtaz Qadri’s chehlum, said Saddar Deputy Superintendent of Police Kunwar Asif.

The police officer claimed protesters carried pictures of Mumtaz Qadri and attacked a ‘few camera persons’ at the press club over ‘lack of coverage of their event’.

“The protesters would be booked under the anti-terror act,” he said.

KPC secretary AH Khanzada, addressing an emergency meeting of journalists inside the premises, announced boycott of ATI and its mother organisation, Jamiat Ulema Pakistan, till their leaders seek an apology and compensate the damages.

ATI Karachi leader, Hissan Amini, however denied that his party workers were involved in the violence. In a statement, he claimed ‘some unknown miscreants’ resorted to hooliganism at the KPC and beat media persons after their rally ended.