LAHORE: Religious parties and seminaries on Monday held protest demonstrations across the province against execution of Mumtaz Qadri who had assassinated the then Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer on Jan 4, 2011.

There were also reports of people being injured in the clashes between police and protesters. However, the situation remained mainly under control as the government had taken precautionary measures well in time.

In Lahore, supporters of Salmaan Taseer’s killer blocked roads at Saggian Bridge, Thokar Niaz Baig and Shahdara while activists of the Sunni Tehreek staged a sit-in outside the shrine of Data Gunj Bakhsh. The Jamaat-i-Islami held demonstrations on the Wahdat Road, Shalimar Link Road and Ferozepur Road.

The city witnessed one of its worst gridlocks on various major roads.

The protesters caused damage to four Metro buses on the route, along Ravi Road, forcing the Punjab Mass Transit Authority to squeeze the buses’ operation from Gajjumata to MAO College.

The traffic mess was acute on the Multan Road, Ferozepur Road, in Shahdara, Shahalam Market, Ichhra and Chungi Amar Sadhu.

“Some protesters entered the office of traffic police on Ravi Road where they broke the furniture,” an official told Dawn.

The protests forced various transport companies to suspend their intercity bus operations on all major routes. More protests are expected after burial of Qadri on Tuesday (today).

In Gujranwala, more than a dozen people were reportedly injured during a clash between police and protesters.

At Kamoki, the protesters kept the GT Road blocked for more than six hours where hundreds of vehicles were stuck and passengers suffered badly. Police arrested more than 50 people.

In Kasur, the protesters blocked Ferozepur Road near Mustafabad, Multan Road near Pattoki and Phoolnagar and Deepalpur Road near Khudian.

Seminary students took out protest procession in Sahiwal, walking through the High Street and various bazaars.

In Sialkot, Ulema and seminaries took out processions in the Sialkot city, Daska, Sambrial, Pasrur, Badiana and Chawinda.

Similar protests were reported from Toba Tek Singh, Gojra, Kamalia and Pirmahal. In Sheikhupura, there was a complete strike while lawyers also boycotted court proceedings.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2016