Violence erupts at Islamists rally in Pakistan, killing 4 individuals

Violent clashes erupted between Pakistan’s safety forces and radical Islamists right here on Friday, leaving 4 individuals useless, together with two policemen, and 15 others injured, police mentioned.

The radical Islamists Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) employees – had launched a rally from Lahore to Islamabad demanding that the Pakistan authorities launch their chief Saad Rizvi, who was arrested final 12 months for demonstrations in opposition to France after a French journal revealed caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, and expel the French ambassador.Security forces tried to thwart the rally-goers from continuing in the direction of Islamabad by firing over 2,500 tear gasoline shells on the TLP employees, following which the protests turned violent.“Over 2,500 tear gas shells were fired at the TLP workers in a bid to stop them from proceeding to their destination (Islamabad),” a Punjab police official told PTI.”Two policemen lost their lives in the clashes with TLP workers,” a police spokesman said.The TLP shared the pictures of the dead bodies of its two workers who died in clashes with police.”The condition of 15 injured is critical,” a police officer said.ALSO READ: Pakistan’s ISI held confidential meeting with terror outfits to plan attacks in J&K, target Kashmiri Pandits | ExclusiveOn Friday evening, Lahore turned into a tense cauldron, after being virtually cut off from the rest of the country, with law enforcement agencies placing containers at all its entry and exit points.Authorities had also suspended mobile phone service in parts of Lahore and blocked roads.The TLP workers have been holding a sit-in outside its headquarters in Yateem Khana in Lahore since Wednesday protesting Rizvi’s arrest and pressing the government to implement an agreement with the outfit regarding the expulsion of the French ambassador.A Punjab police officer said that more than 7,000 policemen were deployed against the TLP workers.“The violent clashes left dozens of TLP workers and policemen injured, some of them are in serious condition,” he mentioned and added the principle clashes happened outdoors the TLP headquarters and MAO College on Multan Road.”Since all entry and exit factors of Lahore have been blocked by inserting containers, the TLP employees won’t be able to cross that hurdle,” the police official mentioned and added police arrested a great variety of TLP employees as properly. “By now in Punjab province alone we have arrested more than 1,500 TLP activists,” he mentioned.ALSO READ: Terrorist nabbed throughout failed infiltration bid exposes Pakistan Army, says ‘this jihad is improper’Those arrested have been booked below terrorism, kidnapping, blocking roads, hooliganism and different fees.TLP chief Pir Ajmal Qadri had earlier declared {that a} peaceable procession would start after Friday prayers. “If any hurdles are created, the party also has a Plan B to thwart any official attempts. The purpose of the move is respect for the Prophet”.In April, Rizvi was detained by the Punjab authorities below the upkeep of public order (MPO) following TLP’s protests.They subsequently agreed to name off protests throughout the nation on the Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf authorities assurance that it might current a decision on the expulsion of the French ambassador within the National Assembly.However, the federal government had referred to as the National Assembly session to debate the French envoy’s expulsion and earlier than a vote may happen on the decision, the Speaker introduced the formation of a particular committee to debate the matter and requested the federal government and the opposition to have interaction with one another to develop consensus on the difficulty.No assembly of this particular committee has been held since April.Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf authorities in Punjab has shaped a committee comprising provincial Law Minister Raja Basharat and Prosecution Minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin for talks with the TLP.ALSO READ: Pakistan: Jinnah’s statue in Gwadar blown up utilizing explosives, say officers