Pakistani police fire tear gas to break up Islamists' sit-in blocking capital
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani police used tear gas and watercannon in clashes with stone-throwing Islamist protesters on Saturday, as they moved to clear a protest by the religious hard-liners who have blocked main routes into Islamabad for more than two weeks.
Clashes immediately broke out between members of Tehreek-e-Labaik, a hard-line Islamist party, and some 4,000 police sent to break up the protest camp, police official Saood Tirmizi told Reuters.
“Police used water cannons initially and now are firing tear gas shells at the protesters,” Tirmizi told Reuters.
He said dozens of protesters had been taken into custody.
Television footage showed smoke billowing and fires burning in the streets as officers in heavy riot gear advanced.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-protests/pakistani-police-fire-tear-gas-to-break-up-islamists-sit-in-blocking-capital-idUSKBN1DP04E?il=0
