PAKISTAN: POLICE USING TEARGAS FIGHT RUNNING BATTLES WITH ISLAMIC MILITANTS DEMONSTRATING AGAINST GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION

Record ID: 376028

  • Title: PAKISTAN: POLICE USING TEARGAS FIGHT RUNNING BATTLES WITH ISLAMIC MILITANTS DEMONSTRATING AGAINST GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION
  • Date: 27th October 1996
  • Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (OCTOBER 27, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (PART AUDIO AS INCOMING) 1. GV/MV: DEMONSTRATORS WITH BANNERS AND FLAGS (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. GV: POLICE BLOCKING ROAD 0.10 3. GV: POLICE FIRING TEARGAS AT DEMONSTRATORS/ DEMONSTRATORS THROW STONES BACK/ POLICE MOVE IN ON HORSEBACK 0.28 4. MV: PAKISTANI POLICE BEHIND SANDBAGS/ FIRING TEARGAS 0.31 5. GV: SMOKE RISING BY BUILDING 0.33 6. SV: PAKISTANI POLICE FIRING TEARGAS FROM LORRY 0.38 7. SV/PAN: PHOTOGRAPHER RUNNING 0.44 8. LV: SMOKE-FILLED STREET 0.52 9. SV: PAKISTANI POLICE CHARGING IN ON HORSEBACK/ WALKING IN WITH RIOT SHIELDS AND STICKS 0.59 10. MV/PAN: PAKISTANI POLICEMAN FIRING 1.07 11. MV: DEMONSTRATORS ARGUING WITH POLICE (2 SHOTS) 1.18 (AUDIO AS INCOMING) 12. LV: DEMONSTRATORS AND POLICE/ SMOKE FROM TEAR GAS 1.23 13. MCU: DEMONSTRATOR WITH BLOODIED NOSE 1.26 14. MV: POLICE IN RIOT GEAR WITH HANDKERCHIEVES OVER FACES 1.32 15. MCU: DEMONSTRATOR WITH BLOODIED FACE BEING HELPED OFF 1.37 16. GV: AMBULANCE DRIVING OFF 1.45 17. MV: POLICEMAN WHIPPING DEMONSTRATOR AS HE TAKEN TO POLICE VAN 1.48 18. GV: DEMONSTRATOR BEING PUT INTO BACK OF POLICE VAN 1.52 19. GV: DEMONSTRATOR BEING LED AWAY BY POLICE 1.57 20. GV: FIRE ENGINE DRIVING OFF 2.04 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 11th November 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
  • City:
  • Country: Pakistan ASIA
  • Reuters ID: LVA390ZZ0WKXLP9KY4EPTH5BYPZ9
  • Story Text: INTRO: Police using teargas have fought running battles with Islamic militants trying to stage a demonstration outside Pakistan's parliament. At least 29 people have been reported hurt.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistani police on Sunday (October 27) fired dozens of rounds of teargas in running skirmishes with stone-throwing opposition Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) demonstrators trying to burst through a security cordon clamped round Islamabad in order to get to the city's parliament.

    The JI party, more skilled at organising street protests than winning votes, but with a strong base in student politics, had planned to bring a million supporters to the capital for a sit-in protest against alleged corruption under Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's rule.

    The government, which had offered an alternative venue for the demonstration, mobilised thousands of police and paramilitary troops to seal off Islamabad and foil JI plans.

    Witnesses said a few hundred JI activists hiding in a market area had emerged suddenly on a main road that leads to parliament, hurling stones at police, who responded with canisters spewing clouds of teargas.

    Paramilitary troops with truck-mounted machineguns guarded the parliament, as well as the prime minister's secretariat, president's palace, foreign ministry and diplomatic enclave.

    "Revolution, revolution, Islamic revolution " chanted the JI supporters as they faced riot police.

    The official news agency APP said at least five youngsters had been hurt in the violence and staff of a private ambulance service said they had taken about 20 casualties, mainly teargas victims, to hospital after clashes in the nearby city of Rawalpindi.

    There have been reports of several incidents throughout the country.

    JI leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad on Saturday denounced Bhutto's government for attributing violent intentions to his followers. He said JI had never been lawless and urged his supporters to show restraint.

    JI leaders said the security forces had rounded up more than 5,500 of its supporters to try to disrupt the protest. An Interior Ministry spokesman said the JI figure was exaggerated, but could not say how many people had been seized.

    All schools and universities stayed closed on Sunday and attendance at government offices was thin.


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