An Islamic party banned in Pakistan announced today, Saturday, that 5 of its supporters were killed in clashes with security forces in the eastern city of Lahore, after two policemen were killed in the clashes.
Yesterday, Friday, more than a thousand supporters of the "Labaik Pakistan Movement" gathered after prayers to demand the release of their arrested leader, blocking roads and throwing projectiles.
The protests continued on Saturday.
The protesters are seeking to reach an area between Islamabad and Rawalpindi for a sit-in until their demands are met, represented by the release of their leader, Saad Razavi, and the expulsion of the French ambassador in response to his country's "abuse of Islam."
Protesters demand the release of their leader, Saad Razavi, and the expulsion of the French ambassador from Islamabad (European)
Earlier this year, the "Labbaik Pakistan" movement and its offshoot, the "Labbaik O Messenger of God", led a massive anti-French campaign since French President Emmanuel Macron defended the right to publish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in the name of freedom of expression.
The protests prompted the French embassy in Pakistan to issue a warning to French citizens calling on them to leave the country.
Constant clashes
The party tweeted today, Saturday, that the "Labaik Pakistan Movement" lost two people yesterday evening, Friday, and 3 others today due to police bullets.
The police in Lahore did not comment on these statements, but announced on Friday evening the killing of two of its members.
Lahore police did not comment on the announcement of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Labaik party that 5 of its supporters were killed in two days (European)
"Clashes are still going on," Lahore police spokesman - Rana Arif - told AFP, "This is a defensive operation by the police in the face of the demonstrators," as he put it.
In a related context, Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed cut short his visit to Dubai to attend his country's participation in the Cricket World Cup, to return to his country at the request of Prime Minister Imran Khan in order to monitor the situation in Lahore.
The leader of the Pakistan Labbaik movement, Saad Rizvi, was arrested last April, after the Pakistani government banned his party in response to anti-French protests.
Party supporters threatened to march in processions towards the capital, Islamabad, as police blocked roads with shipping containers, and the party vowed not to stop protests or hold talks with the government until its leader is released.
Six policemen were killed in the protests organized by the "May God's Peace Be Upon You" movement last April, which lasted for days and paralyzed roads in a number of regions of the country.