Lahore\Kamalia\ Faisalabad—Violent protests against prolonged load-shedding continued across the Punjab on the third consecutive day on Tuesday where demonstrators did not hesitate to attack the houses of MNAs and MPAs.
Three more protesters also lost their lives in fresh riots while scores of others injured in firing as property was damaged at various cities of the province by angry mobs. The protesters sieged the house of PML-Q MNA Riaz Fatiana in Kamaliya and a guard opened fire killing three persons, while scores of others were injured.
According to sources, enraged residents attacked the house of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) MNA Riaz Fatiana in Kamalia, and as a result, his guards resorted to firing that killed two protesters and injured eight others.
The traders and citizens in Kamalia blocked the Kamalia-Faisalabad Road and suspended traffic while the city is observing complete shutter-down strike against power outages. Several shops near general bus stop were damaged by the angry crowd.
PPP MNA Begum Husnain’s house was also surrounded by the crowd due to which the security staff opened fire on them. More than 15 people were injured in the clashes. Later, the infuriated crowd also set ablaze three police mobiles and a DSP’s vehicle.
Protest demonstrations also took place in Multan where the shops were forced to close and the protesters blocked Qadirpur and Multan roads. Police, at the occasion, baton charged the crowd.
Khanewal also observed the complete shutter down strike after a protester was killed when the private guards of Advisor to Prime Minister Ahmad Yar Hiraj and Chairman of Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) MNA Hamid Yar Hiraj of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, opened direct fire on the protesters from the rooftop of their residence, situated in the Civil Lines, Khanewal.
After the sad incident, situation in the city became very tense and people, including traders and students, staged a demonstration against the killings.
Civilians also continued to protest against the power crisis in other areas of Punjab including Dera Ghazi Khan, Chiniot, Bahawalpur and Vihari. Thousands of rioters stormed the house of Riaz Fatiyana, a local lawmaker allied with the national government from the town of Kamaliya, burning his vehicles and possessions, police officer Mohammed Shafique said.
Fatiyana’s Pakistan Muslim League-Q party is part of the coalition government of President Asif Ali Zardari. The rival Pakistan Muslim League-N is in charge of Punjab province.
Speaking to local media, Fatiyana accused the police of standing by and giving a free hand to rioters to attack his home. But a senior police official, Mohammed Raouf, denied the allegation. He said the mob ruthlessly attacked government and private buildings and said police officers were trying to restore order. Raouf accused Fatiyana’s guards of opening fire on the rioters, wounding some of them. The rioters then retaliated by burning the lawmaker’s home, Raouf said. He said so far about 30 rioters had been injured in clashes with police.
In the nearby Khanewal district, police fired tear gas to disperse rock-throwing protesters attempting to torch the offices of the local power company.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif Tuesday once again reiterated his resolve to stay with the masses in their ongoing protest against prolonged spans of load shedding. Addressing Punjab Assembly here, the Chief Minister said he would rather like to stand with the public instead of Ali Baba and 40 thieves. The Punjab CM Sharif noted he will never open gunfire on the people distressed by load shedding, adding he will stand by the people in their protest against load shedding.
INP adds: Police in the Punjab province on Tuesday registered cases against more than 4,000 persons allegedly involved in the loadshedding riots and vandalism that took place on Monday.
The enraged protesters had attacked, looted and damaged train, banks, shops and CNG stations on Monday, when protests went violent in different cities of the Punjab.
Three more protesters also lost their lives in fresh riots while scores of others injured in firing as property was damaged at various cities of the province by angry mobs. The protesters sieged the house of PML-Q MNA Riaz Fatiana in Kamaliya and a guard opened fire killing three persons, while scores of others were injured.
According to sources, enraged residents attacked the house of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) MNA Riaz Fatiana in Kamalia, and as a result, his guards resorted to firing that killed two protesters and injured eight others.
The traders and citizens in Kamalia blocked the Kamalia-Faisalabad Road and suspended traffic while the city is observing complete shutter-down strike against power outages. Several shops near general bus stop were damaged by the angry crowd.
PPP MNA Begum Husnain’s house was also surrounded by the crowd due to which the security staff opened fire on them. More than 15 people were injured in the clashes. Later, the infuriated crowd also set ablaze three police mobiles and a DSP’s vehicle.
Protest demonstrations also took place in Multan where the shops were forced to close and the protesters blocked Qadirpur and Multan roads. Police, at the occasion, baton charged the crowd.
Khanewal also observed the complete shutter down strike after a protester was killed when the private guards of Advisor to Prime Minister Ahmad Yar Hiraj and Chairman of Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) MNA Hamid Yar Hiraj of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, opened direct fire on the protesters from the rooftop of their residence, situated in the Civil Lines, Khanewal.
After the sad incident, situation in the city became very tense and people, including traders and students, staged a demonstration against the killings.
Civilians also continued to protest against the power crisis in other areas of Punjab including Dera Ghazi Khan, Chiniot, Bahawalpur and Vihari. Thousands of rioters stormed the house of Riaz Fatiyana, a local lawmaker allied with the national government from the town of Kamaliya, burning his vehicles and possessions, police officer Mohammed Shafique said.
Fatiyana’s Pakistan Muslim League-Q party is part of the coalition government of President Asif Ali Zardari. The rival Pakistan Muslim League-N is in charge of Punjab province.
Speaking to local media, Fatiyana accused the police of standing by and giving a free hand to rioters to attack his home. But a senior police official, Mohammed Raouf, denied the allegation. He said the mob ruthlessly attacked government and private buildings and said police officers were trying to restore order. Raouf accused Fatiyana’s guards of opening fire on the rioters, wounding some of them. The rioters then retaliated by burning the lawmaker’s home, Raouf said. He said so far about 30 rioters had been injured in clashes with police.
In the nearby Khanewal district, police fired tear gas to disperse rock-throwing protesters attempting to torch the offices of the local power company.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif Tuesday once again reiterated his resolve to stay with the masses in their ongoing protest against prolonged spans of load shedding. Addressing Punjab Assembly here, the Chief Minister said he would rather like to stand with the public instead of Ali Baba and 40 thieves. The Punjab CM Sharif noted he will never open gunfire on the people distressed by load shedding, adding he will stand by the people in their protest against load shedding.
INP adds: Police in the Punjab province on Tuesday registered cases against more than 4,000 persons allegedly involved in the loadshedding riots and vandalism that took place on Monday.
The enraged protesters had attacked, looted and damaged train, banks, shops and CNG stations on Monday, when protests went violent in different cities of the Punjab.
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