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LIVE: Security forces face strong resistance to evict defiant Islamabad protesters
ByAzhar Khan
Posted on November 25, 2017
ISLAMABAD: After expiry of a 24-hour deadline given to the protesting workers of Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah who have occupied a busy Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad, the law enforcement agencies as a final line of action have launched a crackdown to evict the demonstrators.
Islamabad police along with the personnel of the Frontier Constabulary and other law enforcement agencies have launched crackdown against the protesters who have camped out at the Faizabad Interchange for over two weeks.
LIVE UPDATES
10:15am – The security personnel are firing bullets into the air and lobbing teargas shells to disperse the protesters. In response, the protesters are hurling stones at the personnel, turning the protest site into a virtual battleground.
Some security personnel have received injuries as a result of the stone-pelting. Live footage showed thick clouds of smoke billowing from the site as personnel in heavy riot gear used intense teargas to control the crowd. Dozens of protesters have also been taken into custody.
9:45am – Teargas shelling has forced the protesters to retreat as they have dispersed and headed towards streets to find a refuge from tear gas. Some of the protesters have also blocked the Taramari chowk, and Murree Road.
9:17am – The personnel have advanced and gained control over 40 per cent of the area occupied by the protesters. They have uprooted several tents set up by the protesters.
8:53am – The police and FC personnel are facing immense hardship in clearing the area as the protesters seemed to be defiant in the face of police action.
The protest leaders are encouraging their workers over loudspeakers to stay together and put up a strong resistance.
7:40am – The law enforcement agencies launched the operation after the capital administration’s final deadline of 7am to end the sit-in expired.
“Leaders of the sit-in and participants will be responsible in case of any operation against the sit-in,” the administration had warned a day earlier.
Court orders shake the government
Expressing extreme displeasure over the government for its failure to clear the capital’s busy artery of protesters, the Islamabad High Court on Friday issued a show cause notice to Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed the interior minister to appear before the court on Monday along with an explanation for flouting its order with regard to evicting the defiant protesters from the Faizabad Interchange.
He observed that fundamental rights of the people were being violated. “This is the failure of the government,” Justice Siddiqui noted, adding “but we will not let the state to fail.”
On Thursday, the Supreme Court expressed extreme annoyance over the government for its failure to end the Faizabad sit-in.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, rejected the reports submitted by the intelligence agencies and directed them to inform it as to who is funding the protesters.
It observed that the court was not asking to spray the protesters with bullets, but want to know whether any investigation was carried out to ascertain who was bankrolling them.
Interior minister smells political goals in dharna
Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said the Islamabad protesters have political ambitions as they wanted to garner support ahead of the next elections.
He said the protesters wanted to dent the ruling party’s vote bank, by pitting the PML-N against a particular sect.
Iqbal said the government is actively engaged in dialogue with the protesters to find a peaceful end to the protest.
He said he can clear the Faizabad Interchange of the protesters within three hours, but it could led to bloodshed or a repeat of the Lal Masjid operation.
The interior minister said there was no justification for seeking the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid since he had no role in the now-withdrawn amendment in Khatm-e-Nabuwwat declaration for electoral candidates.
Why it all started?
Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah has been protesting for over a fortnight, demanding action against those responsible for making now-withdrawn amendment to the clause pertaining to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath for electoral candidates and the sacking of Law Minister Zahid Hamid.
“If the government send the law minister packing, it would eventually set a wrong precedent,” the Interior Minister had said, adding, there was no proof that he was responsible for the amendment.
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https://arynews.tv/en/security-crackdown-islamabad-protesters/
ByAzhar Khan
Posted on November 25, 2017
ISLAMABAD: After expiry of a 24-hour deadline given to the protesting workers of Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah who have occupied a busy Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad, the law enforcement agencies as a final line of action have launched a crackdown to evict the demonstrators.
Islamabad police along with the personnel of the Frontier Constabulary and other law enforcement agencies have launched crackdown against the protesters who have camped out at the Faizabad Interchange for over two weeks.
LIVE UPDATES
10:15am – The security personnel are firing bullets into the air and lobbing teargas shells to disperse the protesters. In response, the protesters are hurling stones at the personnel, turning the protest site into a virtual battleground.
Some security personnel have received injuries as a result of the stone-pelting. Live footage showed thick clouds of smoke billowing from the site as personnel in heavy riot gear used intense teargas to control the crowd. Dozens of protesters have also been taken into custody.
9:45am – Teargas shelling has forced the protesters to retreat as they have dispersed and headed towards streets to find a refuge from tear gas. Some of the protesters have also blocked the Taramari chowk, and Murree Road.
9:17am – The personnel have advanced and gained control over 40 per cent of the area occupied by the protesters. They have uprooted several tents set up by the protesters.
8:53am – The police and FC personnel are facing immense hardship in clearing the area as the protesters seemed to be defiant in the face of police action.
The protest leaders are encouraging their workers over loudspeakers to stay together and put up a strong resistance.
7:40am – The law enforcement agencies launched the operation after the capital administration’s final deadline of 7am to end the sit-in expired.
“Leaders of the sit-in and participants will be responsible in case of any operation against the sit-in,” the administration had warned a day earlier.
Court orders shake the government
Expressing extreme displeasure over the government for its failure to clear the capital’s busy artery of protesters, the Islamabad High Court on Friday issued a show cause notice to Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed the interior minister to appear before the court on Monday along with an explanation for flouting its order with regard to evicting the defiant protesters from the Faizabad Interchange.
He observed that fundamental rights of the people were being violated. “This is the failure of the government,” Justice Siddiqui noted, adding “but we will not let the state to fail.”
On Thursday, the Supreme Court expressed extreme annoyance over the government for its failure to end the Faizabad sit-in.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, rejected the reports submitted by the intelligence agencies and directed them to inform it as to who is funding the protesters.
It observed that the court was not asking to spray the protesters with bullets, but want to know whether any investigation was carried out to ascertain who was bankrolling them.
Interior minister smells political goals in dharna
Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said the Islamabad protesters have political ambitions as they wanted to garner support ahead of the next elections.
He said the protesters wanted to dent the ruling party’s vote bank, by pitting the PML-N against a particular sect.
Iqbal said the government is actively engaged in dialogue with the protesters to find a peaceful end to the protest.
He said he can clear the Faizabad Interchange of the protesters within three hours, but it could led to bloodshed or a repeat of the Lal Masjid operation.
The interior minister said there was no justification for seeking the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid since he had no role in the now-withdrawn amendment in Khatm-e-Nabuwwat declaration for electoral candidates.
Why it all started?
Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah has been protesting for over a fortnight, demanding action against those responsible for making now-withdrawn amendment to the clause pertaining to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath for electoral candidates and the sacking of Law Minister Zahid Hamid.
“If the government send the law minister packing, it would eventually set a wrong precedent,” the Interior Minister had said, adding, there was no proof that he was responsible for the amendment.
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https://arynews.tv/en/security-crackdown-islamabad-protesters/
