Two people were killed and dozens injured, including policemen, when supporters of a radical Islamist party on Friday clashed with police during an attempt to stage protests outside the US Consulate in Pakistan's Lahore city.
The city was virtually paralysed following violent clashes between police and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) workers, who also wanted to go to Islamabad to stage a protest against Israel's aggression on Gaza.
The internet and cellular network remained suspended in the areas of Lahore where TLP supporters gathered.
According to the police, the protesters pelted officers with stones, beat them with sticks and damaged public property.
"Multan Road remained a battlefield after Friday's prayers between the supporters of the TLP and law enforcers as the former pressed their way to Islamabad. Several policemen and TLP workers were injured in the clashes," a senior Punjab police officer told PTI.
He said at least 15 policemen were injured in the clashes with the TLP workers.
A statement by Edhi spokesperson said Edhi volunteers moved the injured police personnel to various hospitals in the city.
At least 12,000-strong TLP men managed to reach Azadi Chowk, close to the exit point of Lahore.
"They camped at the Azadi Chowk, and a heavy contingent of police and Rangers were deployed there to stop them from reaching Islamabad," the police officer said, adding that over 200 TLP workers have been arrested in Lahore and other parts of Punjab province so far.
A heavy contingent of police and Rangers blocked all roads leading to the US Consulate General Lahore. All major arteries of Lahore faced massive traffic congestion due to the TLP protest.
A TLP spokesperson claimed that two TLP workers were killed and over 100 others injured, some of them critically, in clashes with the law enforcers.
The clashes between the TLP supporters and the law enforcers began late on Wednesday night following the former's announcement to stage a protest outside the US embassy in Islamabad in solidarity with Palestinians.
To prevent TLP supporters from reaching Islamabad, the police launched a crackdown on the headquarters of the TLP on Multan Road with shipping containers and sealed the city’s entry/exit points. Police could not arrest TLP head Saad Hussain Rizvi.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 across the province for 10 days.
On Friday, an anti-terrorism court handed over 110 TLP activists to police on a 12-day physical remand in a case of violent protests and attacks on police personnel.
The police produced the arrested suspects before the court, seeking their custody for interrogation.
ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill granted 12 days' physical remand and directed the police to carry out the investigation strictly in accordance with the law.
Earlier, the US embassy in Islamabad posted on social media that “the US consulates general in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar are monitoring planned protest activity across Pakistan on October 10”.
“These protests may cause traffic delays/detours due to closed or blocked roads in the vicinity of the demonstrations. The duration of the protests is unknown. We advise US citizens to avoid large gatherings and remain aware of their surroundings,” the embassy said.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
