23 people including cops lost lives on Youm-e-Ishq-e-Rasool

At least twenty three people lost their lives while more than 200 sustained injuries. Infrastructure worth millions of rupees including a church, several police and private vehicles, cinema houses, petrol pumps and private buildings destroyed and torched.

In the meantime, protestors looted and vandalized banks, shops and toll plazas and everything was done in the name of religion that teaches peace and tolerance.

Protests on the Day of Love for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) across the country against the anti-Islam movie were a far cry from how followers of religion of ought to react over it. The blasphemous movie has already set the Muslim world on fire.

Horrific incidents of violence, arson and sabotage were reported from across the country on Youm-e-Ishq-e-Rasool (SAW) .

Crowds of inflamed men attempted to breach security cordons around foreign embassies and sensitive installations, and clashed with security forces when pushed back.

For most part of the day it was complete anarchy in several cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Multan, leaving a trail of death and destruction in large parts of the country.

Within a matter of a few hours it became quite evident that the ill-equipped and poorly trained, and perhaps ill-motivated, police force was not in a position to push back the violent protesters.

Despite the extensive use of tear gas and rubber bullets, all proved futile as in many cases the riot police had to take the beating with protesters throwing back the tear gas canisters and stones at them.

As violence intensified in places like Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi, riot police first fired live ammunition in the air, and then at places directly into the crowd.

In Peshawar and Karachi, and some other places, several bystanders and journalists got trapped as protesters and police clashed, using bricks, stones, tear gas and even live ammunition.

There were deaths and injuries on both sides, with a number of people, including member of a television crew, becoming victim of this madness.

The calls for peaceful demonstrations from the government, political and religious leaders apparently fell on deaf ears, as the countrymen up in protests for a sacred cause resisted no evil temptation of acting like an unruly mob.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=33004

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Sep 22 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.