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ISLAMABAD: The French embassy in Pakistan has advised all French nationals and companies to temporarily leave the country, after violent anti-France protests paralysed large parts of the country.
“Due to the serious threats to French interests in Pakistan, French nationals and French companies are advised to temporarily leave the country,” the embassy said in an email to French citizens. “The departures will be carried out by existing commercial airlines.”
Anti-French sentiment has been simmering for months in Pakistan since the government of President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for a magazine’s right to republish blasphemous caricatures depicting Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).
The Pakistani government on Wednesday moved to ban the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) whose leader had called for the expulsion of the French ambassador.
Saad Rizvi was detained hours after making his demands, bringing thousands of his supporters to the streets in cities across Pakistan.
Two police officers died in the clashes, which saw water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets used to hold back crowds.
TLP supporters brought Islamabad to a standstill in November last year for three days with a series of anti-France rallies.
