At least three Pakistani policemen were killed and several others suffered injuries in clashes with workers of a banned Islamist group in Lahore.
Clashes broke out between workers of banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and police personnel in Lahore.
In a statement, Lahore DIG (Operation) Spokesperson Mazhar Hussain identified two of the slain officials as Ayub and Khalid. The identity of the third official has not yet been ascertained, but a statement from the provincial chief minister stated that three policemen were killed, Dawn reported.
Hussain said that several others were also injured and taken to the hospital in critical condition. "Protesters also hurled petrol bombs on officials," he said, adding that officials tried to prevent them from vandalising and damaging public property.
"The angry mob also used sticks and pelted stones," he said, adding that officials were showing restraint despite the violence.
In a separate statement, a spokesperson for the banned group said that workers had endured the "worst shelling in history" and were "attacked from all sides" near the Mao College Pul.
The spokesperson claimed that at least 500 workers had been seriously wounded while several had died.
Pakistan police detained activists of the banned outfit TLP after the group announced a march to Islamabad, local media reported.
According to Dawn, an official said that numerous "fourth schedulers" of the group were detained from all the districts of the province. The official informed the newspaper that around 900 workers and second-tier leadership of the TLP protested outside the Jamia Masjid Rehmatul Lil Aalamin on Multan Road.
The situation worsened on Thursday after workers damaged the Multan Road orange Line train station beside the venue of protest and also damaged the CCTV, the newspaper reported.
( With inputs from ANI )
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