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Pakistan crisis: As it happened

Pakistan crisis: As it happened

        

 

  • Former President Pervez Musharraf condemned the police action on his Twitter and Facebook account, saying that he was "appalled to witness the attack by the Government on unarmed and peaceful protestors that include women and children and I vehemently condemn it. Resorting to force will not suppress the movement for change the people of Pakistan have emd upon. It is time the Nawaz government should accept that it has lost the moral authority to govern".

 

  • As Pakistan protests turn violent with protesters armed with hammers and cutters clashing with police, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested that the crowd contains terrorists, including women who want to occupy govt buildings, the AFP reported.

 

  • "There are 1,600 to 2,000 trained terrorists. They have 200 women who are trained in the use of firearms and they have come with the intention of occupying state buildings," Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told AFP.

 

  • Latest reports say that the Government has ordered arrests of all injured protestors bought for first-aid in hospitals, tweeted the PTI, citing a news report.                         According to the ARY news, Punjab Police has raided PIMS and is arresting injured people.
  • As protesters brave police shelling, dozens are reported to be injured. The PTI tweeted the photos of many bloodied protesters, injured in police crackdown.
  • The Dawn reports that the Government has ordered arrests of Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri.
  • As police continue crackdown on protesters, PTI chief Imran Khan tweeted a picture of his showing a bullet shell and tear gas cell fired on his bus.
  • According to Pak media reports, police in riot gear is firing rubber bullets and tear gas at the huge crowd of protesters trying to march into the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's official residence.

 

  • On Imran Khan's call to remove the barricade, protesters armed with crane and bolt cutters were trying to get past the containers blocking their way to the PM's office.

Also, huge protests started in Lahore's  Liberty and Lalik Chowk after the police started crackdown on Islamabad protesters.

The situation in Pakistan has turned worse as a government initiative of diffusing the political crisis via talks crashed with negotiations failing to placate Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chief Dr Tahirul Qadri.

Both the leaders have intensified the protests, calling on the protesters to remove the barricades outside the PM's house and Qadri issued a fresh 24-hour ultimatum to PM Nawaz Sharif to quit.

In what is the biggest challenge to the 15-month old Nawaz Sharif government, both Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri have been leading anti-government protests outside the Parliament, demanding the PM's resignation for the 17th day today, demanding his resignation on the claims that last year`s elections were rigged.

The anti-government protests threaten Pakistan`s political stability which has in past seen several military coups.