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7 Killed as Pakistan Police Clash With Preacher’s Followers 7 Killed as Pakistan Police Clash With Preacher’s Followers
(about 2 hours later)
LAHORE, Pakistan — At least seven people were killed and about 100 injured in Lahore in violent clashes between the police and followers of Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, a fiery preacher turned political activist who has called for a mass movement against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. LAHORE, Pakistan — At least seven people were killed and about 100 wounded in Lahore in violent clashes between the police and followers of Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, a fiery preacher turned political activist who has called for a mass movement against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
It was the deadliest political confrontation in Lahore, Mr. Sharif’s hometown, since a short-lived but turbulent period of emergency rule under the military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf in late 2007. And it came at a critical time for Mr. Sharif, who is marshaling public support as the army embarks on a perilous offensive against the Taliban in the tribal district of North Waziristan. It was the deadliest political confrontation in Lahore, Mr. Sharif’s hometown, since a short-lived but turbulent period of emergency rule under the military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf in late 2007. And it came at a critical time for Mr. Sharif, who is marshaling public support as the army begins a perilous offensive against the Taliban in the tribal district of North Waziristan.
The clashes started about midnight on Monday, when a large contingent of police officers reached the headquarters of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik, Mr. Qadri’s party, and demanded that his supporters remove barricades outside the office and an adjoining residence that they called illegal. The clashes started about midnight on Monday, when a large contingent of police officers reached the headquarters of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik, Mr. Qadri’s party, and demanded that his supporters remove barricades that they called illegal outside the office and an adjoining residence.
The barricades were set up four years ago after Mr. Qadri, who is in Canada but is said to be returning to Pakistan on Monday, ,issued a decree against the Taliban and received death threats from the militants. The barricades were set up four years ago after Mr. Qadri, who is in Canada but has said he will be returning to Pakistan next Monday, issued a decree against the Taliban and received death threats from the militants.
Mr. Qadri’s supporters resisted the police demands and the situation turned violent, with clashes through the night. By morning police reinforcements, including bulldozers and armored vehicles, had arrived to disperse the crowd. Several women and men lay down in front of barriers on the road, challenging the police to run the bulldozer over them. Mr. Qadri’s supporters resisted the police demands, and the situation turned violent, with clashes through the night. By morning, police reinforcements, including bulldozers and armored vehicles, had arrived to disperse the crowd. Several women and men lay down in front of barriers on the road, challenging the police to run the bulldozer over them.
The police fired tear gas and charged the crowd with batons, then fired bullets in the air. Mr. Qadri’s supporters accused the police of firing directly into the crowd. The police fired tear gas and charged with batons, then fired bullets into the air. Mr. Qadri’s supporters accused the police of firing directly into the crowd.
The Lahore police chief, Chaudhry Shafique, accused the protesters of instigating the clashes. “When the police tried to remove the illegal barricades, party workers pelted them with stones and petrol bombs from the rooftops,” he said. The Lahore police chief, Chaudhry Shafique, accused the protesters of instigating the clashes. Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab Province and a brother of the prime minister, told a news conference that of the 97 people reported injured, 27 were police officers. Later, he removed Mr. Shafique from his position as police chief.
Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab Province and a brother of the prime minister, told a news conference that of the 97 people reported injured, 27 were police officers. Later, he removed Mr. Shafique from his position as police chief. In January 2013, Mr. Qadri, who has been based in Canada, led a march of thousands of followers to Islamabad to demand electoral overhauls and the removal of the previous government, which was led by the Pakistan Peoples Party.
In January 2013, Mr. Qadri, who is based in Canada, led a march of thousands of followers to Islamabad to demand electoral reforms and the removal the previous government, which was led by the Pakistan Peoples Party.
Under Pakistan’s Constitution, Mr. Qadri is barred from participating in elections because of his dual Pakistani and Canadian citizenship, and critics accused him of being a proxy for political interference by the military’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency.Under Pakistan’s Constitution, Mr. Qadri is barred from participating in elections because of his dual Pakistani and Canadian citizenship, and critics accused him of being a proxy for political interference by the military’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency.
Mr. Qadri has demonstrated ability to mobilize large crowds of supporters, most of them drawn from his countrywide network of religious centers. But he enjoys no formal political power, and his party won just one seat the last time it participated in an election in 2002. Mr. Qadri said he would land in Islamabad on Monday and had urged the Pakistani military to provide him with protection. But given the suddenly precarious security situation, with the authorities in major cities stepping up security in anticipation of Taliban reprisals for the North Waziristan operation, it seems doubtful that the military will allow him to hold mass street rallies.
In recent weeks Mr. Qadri renewed his image as a political spoiler by announcing a fresh campaign to topple the government, this time led by Mr. Sharif, which he says is corrupt and came to power by rigging the May 2013 election. Mr. Sharif’s government, for its part, has hinted that Mr. Qadri might be arrested if he tries to return to Pakistan next week, and has warned that the courts could bring money-laundering investigations against him.
Mr. Qadri says he will land in Islamabad on Monday and has urged the Pakistani military to provide him with protection. But given the suddenly precarious security situation, with the authorities in major cities stepping up security in anticipation of Taliban reprisals for the North Waziristan operation, it seems doubtful that the military will allow him to hold mass street rallies. In a telephone address to supporters on Tuesday, Mr. Qadri accused the Lahore police of opening fire on unarmed protesters. On Twitter, he said that Mr. Sharif had ordered the attack because he was “gripped by fear of my arrival.”
Mr. Sharif’s government, for its part, has hinted that Mr. Qadri might be arrested if he tries to return to Pakistan next week, and have warned that the courts could bring money-laundering investigations against him.
In a telephone address to supporters on Tuesday, Mr. Qadri condemned the Lahore police, accusing them of opening fire on unarmed protesters. On Twitter, he said that Mr. Sharif had ordered the attack because he was “gripped by fear of my arrival.”
Salman Masood contributed reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan.