At least four policemen were martyred and over 250 injured as thousands of workers of the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) clashed with law-enforcement personnel in Gujranwala on Wednesday.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said in a tweet that the four police personnel were martyred due to firing by TLP workers, adding that 253 others were injured in the violence.
He announced that strict legal action will be taken against those involved in the violence.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the government will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands.
The PM went on to reiterate that he has issued orders to stop the long march planned by the TLP.
The PM took the decision during a meeting of the federal cabinet. He was given briefing on the banned outfit’s protest march, and it was later decided by the government that it will not allow protesters to march beyond Jhelum.
The PM said that “the government and the state are on one page regarding the protests” and the protesters will be “dealt with severely if they try to enter Islamabad.”
On the other hand, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that the violence by the TLP “should end now”, while urging the protest to be ended “immediately.”
Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmad directed the authorities to block social media accounts of the banned outfit.
Additionally, Pakistan Railways announced that the trains heading and departing from Rawalpindi and Lahore have been directed to alternate routes. The railways’ spokesperson said the trains were being rerouted via Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Jhang.
The spokesperson added that the operations of Subak Khram, Islamabad Express, Rawal Express were suspended, while the Orange Line’s route from Rawalpindi to Lahore was also suspended.
A day earlier, Sheikh Rashid had revealed that the government will fulfil all the demands of TLP except for the one seeking to close the French embassy.
“We have various constraints regarding the matter of French ambassador,” Rashid had stated.
The hardline party had announced the long march last Friday but postponed it on Sunday night reportedly after receiving assurances from the government that its demands — which include the expulsion of the French ambassador — would be accepted.
ROADS BLOCKED:
The administrations in Islamabad and Rawalpindi sealed roads linking the twin cities to stop the anticipated entry of the protesters from the TLP party in the capital.
Anticipating protestors, the Rawalpindi administration sealed both sides of Murree Road from Faizabad Interchange to Marir Chowk in Saddar neighbourhood with containers in the wee hours of the morning.
Rawalpindi Metrobus service was also suspended from Saddar to Faizabad until further orders.
A section of Murree Road from Faizabad to Chandni Chowk was also blocked with containers and deployment of police contingents.
School-going children returned to their homes due to blocked roads which also caused blockages for the public.
The situation forced many commuters to walk to their destinations.
Heavy contingents of police have been deployed to protect the section from Faizabad to Sixth Road.
According to reports, the Punjab government has directed district police officers (DPOs) of several districts to deploy forces to tackle any untoward law and order situation.
The demonstrators last night camped near the town of Muridke on the G.T. Road leading to Islamabad, continuing a protest that saw clashes in Lahore last week in which three policemen were killed.
