FAISALABAD: Police arrested hundreds of activists of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in many parts of Punjab, with Faisalabad seeing violence and clash between the protesters and law enforcers on Saturday.

Skirmishes erupted between police and activists of the TLP near Manawala on Sheikhupura Road, where law enforcers teargassed the protesters and beat some of them.

The party activists claimed the district administration had detained more than four dozen people for 30 days and they would create a law and order situation in the district as a protest.

On Saturday, the Tehreek activists turned up for the protest in response to the party call and demanded the release of their fellows who were detained in the Central jail a day earlier. They were protesting when police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to baton-charge, also creating problems for the shopkeepers and passersby.

A district administration functionary said the activists of the party were detained for 30 days on the complaint of the district police.

GUJRAT: As many as 42 TLP activists were detained for at least a month in Gujrat and 50 others were sent to the district jail on judicial remand.

Police registered two cases against the TLP activists in the Lalamusa and Rehmania police stations for blocking GT Road, damaging public property and injuring the policemen during a protest demonstration on Friday. The cases are registered under sections 324, 353, 431, 186, 341, 147 and 149 of the PPC and the Punjab Sound System Ordinance 2015.

Five police officials including Dinga police SHO Inspector Shahbaz Hunjra were injured during the clashes as protesters pelted police with stones in response to teargas shelling and baton-charge. Police arrested 92 activists, 42 of who have been detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

BAHAWALPUR: The Saddar police claim to have arrested 34 TLP activists and 84 unidentified people.

The activists had last evening attempted to protest against the government and take out rally at Karachi Mor, where there was a clash with the police contingent.

According to another report, the Hasilpur police registered a case against 65 people for illegally taking out Chehlum procession in violation of section 144 CrPC.

SAHIWAL: The district administration and police arrested 29 activists including district and tehsil office-bearers of the party.

All of them had been detained for one month under MPO for creating unrest.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2017