Pakistani police tear gas anti-Taliban rally

Islamabad,Nov 28, IRNA -- Riot police fired tear gas shells and used batons to disperse hundreds of people who had started a march against Taliban bombings in the country, organizers and witnesses said.

Several hundred activists from Sunni Muslim groups Saturday morning started ‘Long March’ from the capital Islamabad and planned to move to Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.

The Punjab government had banned the rally fearing attack from the militants of the participants.

Despite the ban around two hundred activists of Sunni Ittehad Council succeeded to reach the garrison city of Rawalpindi from Islamabad.

The march was aimed at protesting against the Taliban attacks on shrine of Sufi saints in recent months, a leader of the Council, Hanif Tayeeb said.

The police parked containers on the main highway between Rawalpindi and Lahore to stop the marchers on foot and vehicles, Tayyeb said.

When the marchers succeed to cross the barriers, the police used tear gas and beat them in Rawalpindi to stop them from proceeding to Lahore.

“We will try to reach Lahore to stage protest there,” Tayyeb said, adding that hundreds of people have been arrested across the country to frustrate the attempt of the rally.

Officials said that the march was banned as reports about a possible attack on the march by the militants have been received.

Witnesses said that participants of the march threw stoned at the police, turning parts of Rawalpindi as battle ground.

Several participants also damaged a police van, police said. (IRNA)