Police in Pakistan say a hard-line Islamic group has taken six security personnel hostage at its Lahore headquarters on Sunday after a week of violent clashes following the arrest of the group leader.
The Tehrik-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) group has given the government an April 20 deadline to oust the French ambassador over the publication of cartoons in France depicting the Prophet Mohammad. Authorities responded by arresting its leader, who asked supporters to hold demonstrations and sit-ins in Pakistan. At least four people have been killed, hundreds injured and thousands arrested. Pakistan banned the group after the violence.
A senior police officer and two paramilitary members were among the six detained by supporters of (TLP), Lahore police spokesman Arif Rana told Reuters.
“The TLP activists have two fuel trucks that contain thousands of gallons of gasoline. They throw petrol bombs and stones at security officers, and also shoot bullets, injuring 11 officials,” Rana said.
Telephone spokesperson Shafiq Amini told Reuters four supporters were killed by police on Sunday and several others were injured.
The Pakistani news channels have been banned from providing coverage of the group since it was banned last week. Read more, and Sunday mobile and internet services were in the area where collisions took place.
Roads leading to the group’s headquarters in Chowk Yateemkahan in Lahore have been blocked.
Supporters of TLP are still sharing videos on social media of what they say was with the police on Sunday, and the hashtags supporting the group appeared in Pakistan on Sunday.
The videos, which Reuters was unable to independently verify, showed thousands of protesters in riot gear colliding with police as clouds of tear gas hung in the air and heard the crackling of gunfire. Other videos showed injured protesters being taken away.
Premier Imran Khan said on Saturday the group had
was banned because it challenged ‘the state’s dispute and the violence and attack on the public and law enforcement’. ‘
Last week, France advised its citizens to leave Pakistan temporarily for their safety. read more.
Our standards: the principles of the Thomson Reuters Trust.