Sheikh Rasheed cuts short UAE visit after Lahore clashes 

ISLAMABAD: Against the backdrop of yesterday’s violent clashes between police and protesters of an outlawed religious party in Lahore, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed cut short his United Arab Emirates (UAE) visit and flew back home on Saturday morning.

He arrived at Islamabad airport from Sharjah on board a private airline’s flight.

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The minister had travelled to the UAE to watch the first match of ICC T20 World Cup between Pakistan and India. However, he had to skip the match scheduled to be played later today at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and return home.

On Friday, two policemen were crushed to death and five others sustained injuries after protesters ran their vehicles over them in Lahore. According to police, the two cops breathed their last after being tortured by the protesters in Lahore.

“The martyred police constables were crushed to death by protesters who ran their vehicles over them,” they said adding that five policemen who sustained injuries in the attack have been shifted to hospital for medical treatment.

Read: Two policemen crushed to death by Lahore protesters

A spokesman for the operation’s wing identified the martyred cops as Ayub and Khalid and added that multiple cops have sustained injuries during an attack from the protesters.

“Those leading the protest attacked the cops with petrol bombs, and metal rods besides also vandalizing government property and causing damage to infrastructure,” they said.