Two killed, 300 injured as police clash with protesters in Islamabad

Two people were killed and more than 300 wounded in clashes between police and protesters in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad as a fortnight-long political impasse took a violent turn. The violence, which began late Saturday and continued early Sunday, erupted after around 25,000 people marched from parliament to the prime minister’s house, where some attempted to use cranes to remove surrounding barricades. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Islamabad Police Chief Khalid Khattak told AFP that police exercised restraint but the protesters were armed with axes, wire cutters and hammers.

They had a crane and drove it until the entrance of the presidency. We are using only tear gas and firing rubber bullets where needed.

Khalid Khattak, Islamabad police chief

The protesters, led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and populist cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri, had been camped outside parliament house since Aug. 15, demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif quit amid allegations of vote-rigging. The crisis took on a new dimension earlier in the week after the government asked the powerful army to mediate, raising fears the military would use the situation to enact a “soft coup” and increase its dominance over civilian authorities.

There are 1,600 to 2,000 trained terrorists. They have 200 women who are trained in the use of firearms and they have come with the intention of occupying state buildings.

Khawaja Asif, Pakistan defence minister

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