LAHORE / FAISALABAD: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) activists and Punjab police clashed in different parts of Punjab, especially in Lahore and Faisalabad on Friday as the situation threatened to get worse with the state flexing its muscle, Express Newsreported.
HunzaNews, Aug 8,2014
At least five police officials were injured when PAT activists clashed in Quaidabad area of Faisalabad on Friday evening. During the clashes, five officials were injured with PAT activists allegedly setting a police station on fire. Several scores of PAT activists have also been detained in Faisalabad and other parts of Punjab.
In Lahore, clashes took place as PAT activists tried to remove containers and other hurdles put up by police on routes leading to the secretariat of Minhajul Quran, the venue for PAT’s Yaum-e-Shuhada, scheduled for Sunday. Seven policemen and four PAT activists were injured in these clashes.
The government has sought to stifle protests by sealing bus stands across Punjab and enforcing section 144 in Islamabad.
11:2opm
PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri says things have gotten so bad that people are not being allowed to congregate for Youm-e-Shuhada.
“I announced categorically and I gave guarantee to the Punjab government that there will be no violence on August 10. So please let them come to participate in this spiritual cogregation for prayers for martyrs.”
But Qadri said Model Town has been sealed. This has exacerbated the situation for those who had reached the Minhajul Quran central secretariat since food and water has run out and they cannot resupply. Those who go to a store to get food, they are detained.
“I hold Shahbaz Sharif is responsible for the death of 15 PAT activists,” Qadri said.
Qadri urges supporters to continue their trajectory towards Minhajul Quran secretariat and not to “surrender”.
He says that a decision on a future course of action will be taken on Saturday.
Qadri reiterates that he personally guarantees that if containers are removed, no act of violence or terrorism will take place.
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11:05pm
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan told Express News that Fridays clashes showed that the government was acting out of fear in Lahore.
Pointing out that things were never this bad even when former president Pervez Musharraf was in power, Khan alleged that the government was resorting to illegal acts of impounding cars and motorbikes.
He added that they had decided to boycott the meeting called by the prime minister on Saturday with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak advised not to participate.
“We will not participate in any such meeting where the premier tries to be king.”
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DIG operations Lahore Dr Haider Ashraf said that the barricades will not be removed at any cost, and that an additional contingent of law enforcement personnel has been called in to quell the situation.
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10:20pm
According to Express News, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid have arrived in Model Town to hold talks with Dr Tahirul Qadri.
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According to Express News, check posts have been established throughout Sheikhupura and 23 PAT activists have been detained.
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9:40pm
Express News reports that entry and exit points to Lahore have been sealed.
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9:20pm
While talking to the media, PAT spokesperson Qazi Faiz gave a two-hour ultimatum to the Punjab government to remove all barriers in Model Town, warning that upon failure of doing so Youm-e-Shuhda would transform into Youm-e-Inqilab.
According to Express News, police have launched a crackdown against PAT workers in Model Town.
“If the government doesn’t remove these barriers within two hours, PAT workers will remove them themselves,” said Faiz, adding that Punjab police should allow workers to enter the secretariat peacefully to mark Youm-e-Shuhuda.
Earlier, Express News footage showed police running away from protesters as they poured into Model Town. An Express News correspondent present at the location said workers wanted the protests to remain peaceful but were forced by the police to step out and remove the barricades themselves.
“Police cracked down on those activists who were sitting at home,” said PAT spokesperson Raheeq Abbasi.
Earlier today, Qadri urged his supporters to remove all barriers and overcome all obstacles and continue gathering at his residence to transform the future of the country and fight for their rights.
Five policemen injured during clashes in Faisalabad
As many as five police officials including an assistant sub inspector have sustained serious injuries during clashes between the police and PAT activists in Quaidabad district of Khushab.
PAT workers also allegedly set a police station on fire in Quaidabad, Express News reported.
Police on Friday had conducted raids to arrest PAT workers and activists. They also blocked all important intersections of Bhakkar, Khushab, Sargodha, and other districts of the regions to hinder PAT workers from travelling towards Lahore to participate in Youm-e-Shuhuda.
Police officials have also started to check vehicles and identification cards of passengers to compare it to a PAT workers’ database compiled by the police.
In Sargodha, police detained more than 35 PAT workers and heavy police contingents were deputed at Sial Mor, Makhdoom and Salam Interchanges to monitor PAT workers departing the city.
Police contingents also conducted raids in Daggar Olakh, Bhakkar to arrest PAT workers. However, the residents of the area overpowered the police and hijacked an official vehicle. High ranking police officials rushed to the spot and after hectic efforts succeeded in recovering the police party.
Similarly, a police contingent conducting a raid in Quaidabad in Khushab but PAT workers overpowered the policemen and severely beat them up.
As a result of these clashes, five police officials including Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Ghulam Ishaq, Rafiq Akhtar, Naveed Haidar, Fayyaz Hussain and Muhammad Hasnain received serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
On receipt of information, the senior police officers also rushed to the spot and after long negotiation they recovered the other police officials who were detained by PAT workers.
Express tribune
