As Islamic parties continue their protest in red zone of federal capital Islamabad, fresh contingents of law enforcement agencies have arrived at the site to maintain law and order situation in the city.
Thousands of supporters of Mumtaz Qadri, who was hanged last month, are protesting at D Chowk near parliament house.
An estimated 25,000 supporters of the former police bodyguard gathered in Rawalpindi in the afternoon to offer his chehlum prayers, before turning toward the heavily-barricaded capital, which was patrolled by hundreds of police and paramilitary soldiers. Several major arteries leading to Islamabad were closed by authorities to block the crowd’s route.
Riot police carrying batons and shields fired tear gas to try to prevent them pushing closer to the city’s centre. Protesters removed containers and blockades on way to the Parliament House and also set some containers to fire before staging a sit-in outside the building, where fiery anti-government speeches were delivered.
A military spokesperson tweeted late Sunday that the army had been requisitioned to ‘control’ the situation and secure the Red Zone around Parliament.
