LAHORE, Oct 26: Traders and police clashed on The Mall after the Lahore SSP ordered the arrest of the Hizbul Tahrir spokesman during an anti-US demonstration near Masjid-i-Shuhada on Friday.
The clash took place reportedly after police misbehaved with some traders in a bid to arrest the organization’s spokesman Naveed Butt who earlier argued with Lahore SSP Aftab Cheema. The police baton charged the traders mainly belonging to the Panorama Centre and arrested three of them. The Lahore SSP reportedly misbehaved with the reporter of a local Urdu newspaper and local photographer of a foreign news agency, preventing them from performing their duty.
The Hizbul Tahrir had staged the demonstration despite a ban on rallies on The Mall on Friday because of the visit of the Turkish president.
The Pak-Afghan Defence Council which has been holding rallies on The Mall since the beginning of the American attacks on Afghanistan, reportedly accepted the administration request and organized its rally at Nila Gumbad.
According to eye-witnesses, some workers of the London based organization gathered in front of Masjid-i-Shuhada after Juma prayers. Naveed Butt, their leader, crossed the road and went to the SSP present in front of the Panorama Centre.
His arguments annoyed the SSP who ordered his arrest. In an effort to pick Mr Butt, police pushed onlookers, including traders, away. The traders responded furiously, with one of them slapping the CIA SP.
Hearing the report of clash, several traders from the shopping centre came out and started pelting stones on police. In return, police applied baton-charge and arrested three traders — Abdullah, Saleheen and Qadhafi.
The traders later pulled down their shutters and started raising slogans. They resumed their business when police released the arrested.
Hizbul Tahrir activists dispersed in the meantime. Police said a case had been registered against Mr Naveed Butt.
The organization, on the other hand, claimed that its seven activists had been arrested.
Meanwhile, the Pak-Afghan Defence Council held a demonstration against America and the government at Nila Gumbad after Juma prayers.
Its activists raised anti-America and anti-government slogans and vowed to support the Taliban government. They dispersed peacefully after their leaders delivered brief speeches.
Police ringed the busy shopping square to prevent the demonstrators from marching on The Mall.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Lahore JI Amir Mian Maqsood Ahmad, Jamiat Ittehadul Ulema’s Maulana Abdul Maalik, SSP’s Mujibur Rehman Inqilabi, Shamsur Rehman Moavia, Khaksar Tehrik’s Hamiduddin Almashriqi, Engineer Saliumullah Khan and Maulana Mohibullah.
They lashed out at America for killing innocent people in Afghanistan which they said could not be conquered despite all the might of the US. They said America had already realized that it could not defeat the Taliban and it should therefore stop wasting its missiles.
They condemned the Pakistan government for what they said supporting America in its anti-Islam drive. They said the anti-American movement was not against army, police or the people and that was why the demonstrations had been peaceful.
Mian Maqsood Ahmad urged the people to fully take part in the JI’s rally in Lahore on Sunday to show the world that the Afghans were not alone in this hour of trial.
Meanwhile, another demonstration was held near the Shalamar Gardens by workers of different religious parties. The Tanzim Ahle Sunnat staged a separate anti-America demonstration in the Northern Lahore.
LAHORE, Oct 26: Traders and police clashed on The Mall after the Lahore SSP ordered the arrest of the Hizbul Tahrir spokesman during an anti-US demonstration near Masjid-i-Shuhada on Friday.
