Airport chaos: Waiting for Qadri

Published June 23, 2014
A Pakistani passenger climbs over a gate to enter the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of Tahir-ul-Qadri block the entrance to the airport. -Photo by AFP
A Pakistani passenger climbs over a gate to enter the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of Tahir-ul-Qadri block the entrance to the airport. -Photo by AFP
A Pakistani Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel carries a child through the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri gather outside in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP
A Pakistani Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel carries a child through the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri gather outside in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP
Pakistani passengers due to fly to London wait at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri gather outside in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP
Pakistani passengers due to fly to London wait at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri gather outside in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP
A female supporter Tahirul Qadri, leader of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) pictured outside the Benazir International Airport. -Photo by AP
A female supporter Tahirul Qadri, leader of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) pictured outside the Benazir International Airport. -Photo by AP
Supporters of Tahirul Qadri wait outside the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP
Supporters of Tahirul Qadri wait outside the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP
An exhausted supporter of  Tahirul Qadri waits at Benazir International airport. -Photo by AP
An exhausted supporter of Tahirul Qadri waits at Benazir International airport. -Photo by AP
A stick-wielding supporter of Tahirul Qadri walks around the Benazir International Airport. -Photo by AFP
A stick-wielding supporter of Tahirul Qadri walks around the Benazir International Airport. -Photo by AFP
Supporters of Tahirul Qadri, l stand on a police armored car after clashing with security forces at Benazir International airport. -Photo by AP
Supporters of Tahirul Qadri, l stand on a police armored car after clashing with security forces at Benazir International airport. -Photo by AP
Stick-wielding supporters of Tahirul Qadri walks around the Benazir International Airport. -Photo by AFP
Stick-wielding supporters of Tahirul Qadri walks around the Benazir International Airport. -Photo by AFP
A Pakistani passenger lifts a child over a gate at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri gather outside in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP
A Pakistani passenger lifts a child over a gate at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport as supporters of cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri gather outside in Islamabad. -Photo by AFP

Police fired tear gas at supporters of a Canada-based cleric at Islamabad airport on Monday as he returned to Pakistan to lead what he has called a “revolution” against the elected government. But Qadri's supporters, including a large number of women, managed to breach police cordons to arrive at Islamabad airport overnight, chanting “Long live Tahir-ul-Qadri” and “Revolution, revolution, Islamic revolution” even as Qadri's flight was diverted to Lahore instead of Islamabad where it had been scheduled to land in the morning. -Photos by Agencies

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