LAHORE: At least three policemen were killed while several other sustained injuries in clashes with banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) activists in Lahore, the police said on Friday.
According to details, during the stampede a vehicle of the protesters hit the personnel of law enforcement agencies, resulting in the death of two police officials. Lahore DIG (Operation) Spokesperson Mazhar Hussain identified two of the slain officials as Ayub and Khalid.
The identity of the third official has not yet been ascertained, but a statement from the provincial chief minister stated that three policemen were martyred. CM Punjab offered condolences to the families of martyrs and directed officials to take stern action against the culprits.
DIG Operations further said several others were also injured and taken to the hospital. “Protesters also hurled petrol bombs on officials,” he said, adding that officials tried to prevent them from vandalising and damaging public property.
Meanwhile, Lahore police spokesman Arif Rana told Reuters that officials fired teargas after the TLP supporters attacked a police checkpoint. However, a TLP media coordinator, Saddam Bukhari, said the police attacked the peaceful rally that was on its way to Islamabad.
In a separate statement, a spokesperson for the banned group said that workers had endured the “worst shelling in history” and were “attacked from all sides” near the Mao College Pul. The spokesperson claimed that 500 workers had been seriously wounded while 15 were in serious condition.
Two-member committee formed
Earlier in the day, the Punjab government formed a two-member committee to negotiate with the banned Tehreek-e-Labbiak Pakistan (TLP) ahead of the party’s long march to the federal capital.
Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat and Prosecution Minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin will lead the provincial government’s efforts to hold talks with the proscribed party, announced provincial chief minister Usman Buzdar.
The chief minister said that according to the Sunnah of Holy Prophet (PBUH), “we all need to work together for peace and harmony in the country”.
However, as the violence erupted in Lahore, a statement issued by the proscribed group said that negotiations would not happen till TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi is released.
“They called us for talks, but attacked our workers from the back,” a statement by the group’s spokesperson said. He claimed that “thousands” were seriously injured and many had bullet injuries. “Now, only the TLP chief will lead the negotiations,” the spokesperson said.
‘Security tightened’
Security in the twin cities has been placed on high alert with major highways, including the Murree Road, sealed with containers and barricades in an effort to deal with the TLP’s planned march from Lahore to Islamabad.
The proscribed party had called for a march to the federal capital after Friday prayers. In Rawalpindi, link roads from Marir chowk to the Faizabad Interchange and Murree Road to the inner city have been closed for traffic, while roads from Shamsabad and Faizabad to Islamabad have been completely sealed by containers.
The expressway from Islamabad, however, was being kept open for traffic in the morning. Heavy contingents of law enforcement personnel have been deployed at major intersections and at metro stations to deal with any untoward incidents.
