Senior officials of Pakistan Army visited the families of police officials and personnel’s martyred in clashes with the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Saturday.
The martyred police officials included Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Akbar, Police Constable (PC) Ghulam Rasool of Kasur, PC Muhammad Ayub of Narang Mandi and PC Khalid Javed of Pasrur.
The army officers visited the homes of the martyred policemen to offer Fateha and pay homage for their sacrifices. The army officials also offered financial assistance on behalf of the Pakistan Army to the bereaved families. The officers also visited injured police officials and inquired about their well being.
The four police officers were killed and hundreds wounded when armed activists from the banned TLP clashed with security forces at an anti-blasphemy demonstration near the eastern city of Lahore, officials said.
The clashes broke out on Wednesday at a rally of the banned far-right party on a highway in Sheikhupura, just outside Lahore, as the group prepared to march on the capital Islamabad, a spokesman for the Punjab police said.
The TLP is protesting against the detention of its leader Saad Rizvi, arrested in April when the group was outlawed by authorities, and is demanding the expulsion of France’s ambassador for the publication of a series of caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad by a French satirical magazine.
Rao Sardar Ali Khan, inspector general of the Punjab police, said four officers were killed and at least 263 wounded.
Earlier, on Friday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had said that four policemen had been martyred in clashes with TLP workers, while more than 80 had been injured, eight of them critically.
