Thread by @mehreenzahra

Over 300 policemen in #Punjab, including 97 in #Lahore, injured, many seriously, after violent protesters attacked them with clubs, bricks and firearms. Gujrat district police officer and Kharian Deputy superintendent of police were among the injured. THREAD ON VIOLENCE 1/n

Hundreds of protesters and policemen injured and thousands of Tehreek-e-Labaik #Pakistan supporters arrested and booked for attacking law enforcement personnel and blocking main roads and highways. 2/n

Police said four policemen had been shot by armed Tehreek-e-Labaik #Pakistan supporters and protesters, and the use of firearms by demonstrators had taken law enforcement agencies by surprise. 3/n

"In Lahore alone, four policemen were shot at and injured by the armed men of the TLP in the Shahpur Kanjran area. Similarly, two police constables were shot at and injured in Faisalabad." 4/n

“Two video clips from Lahore showed policemen, Imran and Aslam, being rushed to hospital with bullet wounds. In another video, an on-duty policeman was seen calling for help to dispatch more force, saying police had come under armed attack by protesters in Shahpur Kanjran" 5/n

“Tehreek-i-Labaik #Pakistan party armed men opened straight fire on the police and our four constables were injured,” Lahore DIG (operations) Sajid Kiani told reporters on Tuesday evening. 6/n

Under a standing order, Lahore DIG (operations) Sajid Kiani said, police had been deployed unarmed and allowed only to use anti-riot gear against protesters. “But it shocked us that the TLP men used guns against the anti-riot force,” Kiani said. 7/n

Lahore DIG (operations) Sajid Kiani said when police reached Shahpur Kanjran to clear the national highway, announcements made in nearby mosques urging TLP followers to take on police.
“Within 10 minutes, some 200 people joined those already present and attacked police" 8/n

Lahore police say have lodged 19 cases against protesters and cleared the areas of Shahdara, Imamia Colony, Thokar Niaz Baig, Babu Sabu and some parts of Ring Road by Tuesday evening. 9/n

Police also conducted an operation in the Chungi Amar Sidhu area to rescue Model Town SP (operations) Dost Mohammad Khosa and five other policemen from protesters holding them hostage at a power grid station. 10/n

The Shahdra and Thokhar areas of #Lahore also turned into battlefields after hundreds of Tehreek-i-Labaik party supporters took several policemen hostage.
In Shahdara, a constable died of severe head and chest injuries after protesters tortured him with clubs, police said. 11/n

Police said Tehreek-i-Labaik #Pakistan activists had occupied and blocked 22 main roads, intersections and areas of Lahore, while reports of violence had also come from Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal and Gujrat. 12/n

Reports from other parts of Punjab suggested Tehreek-i-Labaik supporters had occupied over 100 points, roads and major intersections of various cities of the province.
Over 1,400 activists of TLP have been arrested across Punjab, Punjab police spokesperson says 13/n

Punjab police had launched major operations, cleared nearly 60 roads and areas, and registered multiple police cases against supporters, representatives and leaders of the Tehreek-i-Labaik #Pakistan 14/n

Speaking to @arabnewspk, Muhammad Ali, a spokesperson of the TLP in Karachi, said at least six workers of the party had died and a large number were wounded due to firing by law enforcement agencies. Hospital and rescue sources only confirmed two deaths. 15/n

In a statement released on Tuesday, Tehreek-i-Labaik #Pakistan said seven of its supporters had been killed in police firing, but the figures could not be independently verified. 16/16

#Pakistan deploys paramilitary troops as protests by religious party enter third day arabnews.pk/node/1842576/p… 17/17