 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
 |
 |
|
| PPP workers go on rampage countrywide |
|
|
|
Friday, December 28, 2007
By our correspondents
ISLAMABAD: Violence broke out all over the country following the assassination of Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto Thursday. The paramilitary and police forces were put on the highest “red alert” level, the interior ministry said.
“The security was already high nationwide, but we have further alerted the police and paramilitary forces,” Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema told AFP. “The security is at red alert level across Pakistan,” he said. Streets in federal capital presented a deserted look as the people glued to the television soon after the news of the killing of country’s largest political party’s leader.
RAWALPINDI: Murree road, the main artery in Rawalpindi suffered the major wrath of the angry mob and PPP activists who burnt tyres, damaged public and private properties, and burnt vehicles.
Rawalpindi residents who were returning home from Islamabad had tough time to reach their homes. Reportedly, some of them even could not make it and had to stay in Islamabad as the protestors blocked the major arteries.
LAHORE: Benazir Bhutto’s killing in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi ignited violence in the provincial metropolis on Thursday as mob came on city roads in protest and damaged public and private property.
Countless big and small bands of PPP activists came on roads in various parts of the city and created a law and order nightmare and even riot police failed to control the situation. A police source told The News that at least nine vehicles including three police personnel carriers were set ablaze in various parts of the city. At least three people were reportedly killed and dozens were injured in the violence.
Several groups of protesters roamed the city on vehicles carrying batons as they brought down sign boards displayed at shops and hotels besides damaging vehicles. An angry mob set ablaze a police personnel carrier and a private bus in front of Lahore Press Club. The infuriated protesters carrying PPP flags blocked the road leading to Muslim League House and Queen Marry College. They chanted slogans against the government and set tyres ablaze.
Another group of enraged PPP activists uprooted signs boards at Edgerton Road and burnt tyres, registering their resentment against the brutal killing of Benazir Bhutto. A group of PP activists gathered at Old Anarkali and fired in the air and set the tyres ablaze in protest. The furious protesters also damaged shops at the Food Street and burnt tyres.
A band of protesters staged a protest demonstration in front of Aysha Degree College Ravi Road and fired shots in the air. The protesters blocked traffic in protest and burnt tyres. An angry mob set two busses ablaze in Hunjarwal area, while a bus was set on fire at Bagrian Chowk. The protesters blocked traffic, partially damaged private vehicles and burnt tyres.
Indiscriminate aerial firing was witnessed in Santnagar as an infuriated mob came on roads after learning about the death of Benazir Bhutto. Local shopkeepers closed down their business to avoid damage at the hands of protesters.
The Mall and Hall Road traders also closed down their business witnessing unusual movement of mob on The Mall. A group of protesters blocked traffic in Shahdara area, venting their anger over the death of Benazir Bhutto. The demonstrators burnt tyres, damaged public and private property and chanted anti-government slogans. According to an unconfirmed report, a man lost his life in Shahdara area as well.
Some demonstrators attacked cell phone shops at Hafeez Centre and smashed the showcases with stones and bricks. An angry mob came on roads in Garhi Shahu area and staged a protest demonstration against the killing of Benazir Bhutto. Demonstrators fired shots in the air, blocked the roads and burnt tyres.
It was reported that an indiscriminate firing by the protesters at the rear side of Lahore Fort claimed life of a man. Another man reportedly lost his life in Green Town area at the hands of the protesters.
Meanwhile, Rangers have been deployed at sensitive installation and building including the Governor’s House and the Chief Minister’s House after police failed to keep law and order. Various policemen wearing anti-riot uniform were witnessed as silent spectators as they did not take action against demonstrators damaging public and private property in front of them.
Incidents of violence were also reported in the areas of South Cantonment area, Shadbagh, Baghbanpura, Mughalpura and Misri Shah.
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
Three killed as Sh Rashid escapes attempt on life
By Shakeel Anjum
RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and a candidate for NA-55 (Rawalpindi) by-election Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was wounded, while three people — a guard and two party workers — were killed when four gunmen more |
|
|
12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan
ISLAMABAD: Twelve soldiers embraced martyrdom while two others were injured in a clash with militants during the ongoing operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the ISPR said on Monday.
S more |
|
|
Plan to attack five-star hotel foiled
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The CIA police here on Monday claimed to have foiled an attack on Americans staying at a five-star hotel and arrested six terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
Addressing a press conference, SS more |
|
|
Govt taking court for a ride
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: She fought her case in the media. She won her battle in the judicial forum too. But still the government is bent on making an example out of her for refusing to follow the illegal dictates of her min more |
|
|
Pakistan against arms race: Gilani
By Azeem Samar
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan does not want to be engaged in an arms race with any country.
Speaking as chief guest at the induction ceremony of second Chinese-m more |
|
|
|
Punjab-Sindh water row Centre’s intervention sought
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Tension between Punjab and Sindh over opening of the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Punjnad link canals has touched a new high as the former has sought the Centre’s intervention.
The Punjab has sai more |
|
|
|
French, Dutch fight over giving LNG to Pakistan
By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team is all set to thwart the attempt of an unscrupulous combine of oil industry heavyweights and some functionaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Re more |
|
|
|
Nine killed as no let-up in rains
By Nisar Mahmood
PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed and scores of others injured as heavy rains and snowfall lashed various parts of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
Reports from the Shangla district more |
|
|
|
Malik orders NUML closure as protest enters 5ht day
ISLAMABAD: The protest of the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) against thrashing of Professor Malik Tahir by Registrar Brigadier (R) Obaidullah Ranjha entered its fifth consecutive more |
|
|
|
Malik insists no Blackwater in Pakistan
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik while responding to an accusation from a PML-N parliamentarian told the National Assembly that Blackwater was not providing security to the president and the prime mini more |
|
|
|
FBR gets list of properties rented out to foreigners
By Hanif Khalid
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received list of properties from Foreign Office, which were in use of foreigners in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, but these were not shown in annual tax more |
|
|
|
Repealing of 17th Amendment
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has begun efforts to create consensus on repealing the 17th Amendment before presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament.
The prime minis more |
|
|
|
Three suspects held in Mohmand
By our correspondent
GHALLANAI: The security forces arrested three suspected persons during search operation in Safi subdivision of Mohmand Agency, official sources said Monday. The sources said the security forces carried out sear more |
|
|
|
No presence of Blackwater, DynCorp in Pakistan, NA body told
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman again negated on Monday the presence of Blackwater, DynCorp or any other foreign security agency in the country. “Neither the Blackwater and the DynCorp nor any other s more |
|
|
|
Govt urged to take up water issue with India
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat while urging the government to take up the issue of ‘water terrorism’ with New Delhi, has question more |
|
|
|
Avalanche kills 17 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir
HELD SRINAGAR: Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed on Monday in an avalanche that slammed into a group of 70 combat troops at a high-altitude warfare training camp in Kashmir, the army said on Monday.
more |
|
|
|
Taliban defiant as Afghans flee ahead of assault
KANDAHAR: The Nato commanders urged the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in on Monday for a major assault on their key stronghold in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.
The Ta more |
|
|
|
Plea to freeze foreign accounts
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the federal government to submit a reply within four weeks on a petition seeking freezing of accounts in foreign banks and recovery of illegal assets accumu more |
|
|
|
Attack on Sh Rashid
RAWALPINDI: The PML-N candidate for by-polls from NA-55, Malik Shakil Awan, has announced suspension of electioneering for a day to mourn the death of those killed in the attack on the office of his rival, Shei more |
|
|
|
Indian forces to halt Kashmir rally outside UN office
HELD SRINAGAR: The held Kashmir authorities deployed thousands of police and troops on Monday to prevent a protest outside the UN office here over the recent killing of two teenage boys by Indian security force more |
|
|
|
briefs...
20 die in Afghan floods, avalanches
KANDAHAR: Twenty people have died in floods and avalanches triggered by some of the heaviest rain and snow in Afghanistan for 50 years, an official said on Monday. At more |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
