The Ministry of the Interior released a detailed report on Wednesday detailing the police’s arrests across the country in response to a three-day protest staged by a religious party.
It should be recalled that the countrywide protests had devolved into violence, resulting in the deaths of three people, including two police officers, and the injury of over 100 others. According to the report, over 2,135 people have been arrested in connection with the violent protests, and cases have been filed under the country’s anti-terrorism laws for causing disorder, clashing with police, vandalizing public and private property, and resorting to violence. According to the report, the majority (1,669) of protesters were arrested in Punjab, 228 in Sindh, 193 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 45 in Islamabad, the federal capital.
Three days of protests ensued, during which protesters blocked roads, resulting in massive traffic jams. Numerous hospitals in Lahore, particularly those treating coronavirus patients, encountered difficulties due to a lack of oxygen. Due to blocked roads, oxygen cylinders could not reach hospitals promptly, resulting in a life-threatening situation.
Meanwhile, residents of the country’s major cities were forced to remain stranded on the roads for four to five hours due to four- to five-hour traffic jams. During the protests, a police officer was beaten to death with sticks, and protesters pelted security personnel with stones, inflicting serious injuries. Meanwhile, the government has decided to declare Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) a terrorist organization following the anti-terrorism law.