OKARA, Feb 16: Around 55 more people were arrested, including five students, during the rallies that continued across the province on Thursday in protest against the publication of sacrilegious cartoons.
In Okara, police arrested five students who along with scores of their fellows attempted to take out a protest rally. Dozens of Islami Jamiat Tulaba students gathered in the city under the leadership of Wasim Afzal and Khalid Farooq. But, a heavy police contingent intercepted the students and forced them to disperse. Police also arrested five students — Tahir Zaman, Junaid Zaman, Noor Ahmad and the two IJT leaders.
IJT leader Omar Farooq Warraich demanded immediate release of the arrested students.
Meanwhile, lawyers of the local district bar boycotted courts on Thursday in protest against the European countries for publishing blasphemous drawings in newspapers and magazines.
SHEIKHUPURA: As many as 50 people were rounded up in Nankana Sahib for rioting and taking out a protest rally against the blasphemous sketches on Thursday.
The angry mob paraded the main road and chanted slogans against the European countries for publishing caricatures in newspapers.
Defending the arrest of 50 protesters, Nankana DPO Zulfiqar Hameed said the provincial government had already imposed a ban on rallies and processions.
SARGODHA: Five people were injured when police used tear gas and resorted to baton-charge on protesters here on Thursday.
Traders preferred to shut their business to avoid the wrath of the protesting mob. Even banks and big business concerns observed a complete ‘strike’.
Protesters pelted stones on law enforcers in Kutchery Bazaar, Muslim Bazaar, Sharbatwala Chowk, Faisal Bazaar and Liaquat Market.
Meanwhile, traders were advised to observe a complete strike on Friday (today). Similarly all educational institutions were closed for two days to avoid any untoward incident.
MULTAN: A complete shutter down strike was observed here on Thursday against the publication of sacrilegious caricatures.
There were reports that law enforcers had picked up a number of religio-political leaders as a ‘precautionary’ measures. However, demonstrations on small-scale were seen on Old Shujabad Road, Husain Agahi and Haram Gate areas where people burnt used tyres and chanted slogans against the western media. Law enforcers, however, confined the protesters to a limited area.
The vehicular traffic in and around the city was relatively thin. Some 3,000 policemen and 600 personnel of rangers were deployed in the city to maintain law and order.
DERA GHAZI KHAN: Traders observed a complete strike here on Thursday as part of ongoing countrywide protest against the irreverent caricatures.
While traders and the District Bar Association and its employees took out separately protest processions.
DBA members, led by its president Naseem Khan Khosa, took out a protest procession at Kutchery Chowk. A heavy police contingent guarded the procession to avoid any untoward incident.
MANDI BAHAUDDIN: Scores of students of the Government College of Technology, Rasool, staged a demonstration on Thursday to register their anguish over the publication of blasphemous cartoons.
The protesters gathered at the college assembly ground and chanted slogans the European countries for their double standard.
Speaking on the occasion, speakers condemned Denmark and other European countries for publishing cartoons and termed it a pre-planned intrigue of the West against the Muslims.
PAKPATTAN: A large number of people took out a protest procession at Noorpur sub-tehsil in Chak 93-D.
The protesters blocked the main Sahiwal Road and chanted slogans against the European countries. They demanded death sentence for those responsible for publishing the blasphemous stuff.
They also demanded that the government should boycott the products of Scandinavian and other European countries.