Pakistan bleeds as Islamist group's march turns violent, 11 dead in police firing
The unrest coincides with Israel and Hamas agreeing to the first phase of the Gaza peace deal.
The US embassy has advised its citizens to avoid large gatherings and remain aware of their surroundings.
The protests by Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, which began against the killings in Gaza by Israel, turned violent as the agitators clashed with police. It paralysed life in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for a second day.
Violent clashes continued on Saturday between police and Islamist outfit Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Lahore as the security forces tried to stop the protesters from marching towards the capital where they plan to stage a pro-Palestinian rally. Calling the Punjab police "Israeli goons", the Tehreek-i-Labbaik claimed that cops had started firing indiscriminately at the protesters, killing 11 of its members and injuring over 50.
"At least 11 TLP people have been killed since the morning. Continuous shelling and firing is happenning," a leader of the far-right Islamist group could be heard saying in a viral video amid sound of gunshots in the background.
PROTEST MARCH SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL
The protests, which began on Thursday against the killings in Gaza by Israel, intensified on Saturday as police resorted to firing tear gas and baton-charged agitators at multiple locations. The protesters responded by throwing stones at the police, with The Dawn reporting the dozens of cops were injured.
Clashes turned intense near Lahore's Azadi Chowk, where several police vehicles were set on fire and multiple officers were injured.
In several areas, police erected barricades, put shipping containers and even dug up trenches to prevent thousands of TLP protesters, being led by the outfit's chief Saad Rizvi, from proceeding towards Islamabad for their demonstration near the US embassy. Lahore is around 370 kilometres from Islamabad.
"Arrest is not a problem, bullets are not a problem, shells are not a problem - martyrdom is our destiny," the TLP chief reportedly told the protesters in Lahore during Friday prayers.
The unrest coincides with Israel and Hamas agreeing to the first phase of the Gaza peace deal mediated by US President Donald Trump.
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