Four policemen martyred as banned outfit resumes Islamabad march

LAHORE: At least four policemen were martyred and over 250 injured after protesters belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) clashed with Punjab police near Sadhoke, Gujranwala, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The fresh clashes between the banned politico-religious party and the police came after the proscribed organization resumed its march towards Islamabad after talks with the government broke down.

Sources said that banned outfit workers also took several policemen, among them a senior superintendent of police (SSP), hostage during fresh clashes.

Taking to Twitter, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said the four police personnel were martyred due to firing by TLP workers.

کالعدم تنظیم کی جانب سے پولیس اہلکاروں پر تشدد اور فائرنگ انتہائی قابلِ مذمت ہے جس میں 4 پولیس اہلکار شہید ہوئے اور 253 زخمی ہیں۔

ان واقعات میں ملوث افراد کے خلاف قانون کے مطابق سخت ترین ایکشن لیا جائے گا۔
حکومت صوبے میں امن و امان برقرار رکھنے کی ذمہ داری بطریق احسن نبھائے گی۔

— Usman Buzdar (@UsmanAKBuzdar) October 27, 2021

ARY News learnt today that Prime Minister Imran Khan and the federal cabinet members have rejected to accept all demands of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

The federal cabinet has decided that the writ of the state will be established at any cost. PM Imran Khan said that beating police officials in the name of the protest was a cruel act. He added that the federal government wants to resolve the issues through dialogues.

He said that those blocking the routes will be dealt with strictness. PM Khan said that such demands could not be accepted that are against the national interests.

During the federal cabinet session today, the members mulled over the strategy to deal with the TLP protestors. Sources told ARY News that the federal government has decided to deploy Rangers to stop the protestors’ advancements.

It has been decided that the TLP protestors will not be allowed to advance from Jhelum and also decided to close Peshawar’s GT Road.

Islamabad, Rawalpindi roads sealed

The local authorities have sealed main roads linking the twin cities to halt likely entry of the protesters of the proscribed group in the federal capital territory.

The administration has sealed both tracks of Murree Road from Faizabad interchange to Mareer Chowk Saddar in Rawalpindi with containers and other hurdles in the wee hours of the morning.

READ: GOVT READY TO ACCEPT ALL DEMANDS OF OUTLAWED TLP EXCEPT ONE: RASHEED

Rawalpindi Metro Bus Service has been suspended from Saddar to Faizabad until the next orders.

Murree Road has also been blocked from Faizabad to Chandni Chowk with hurdles and deployment of police contingents, reports said.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed Tuesday announced that they were ready to accept all demands of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) except the expulsion of the French ambassador.

“The TLP had promised to open up all roads by today in exchange for the government accepting their demands,” he said while addressing a presser after attending a high profile meeting at Bani Gala headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa and DG ISI Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed.

The interior minister said that the government is ready to accept all their demands except the French ambassador’s expulsion as it would lead to other embassies also pulling out their envoys from the country. “I will once again approach TLP today and hope that they will fulfil their promise,” he said.