GUJRANWALA, Dec 28: The police launched a crackdown on PPP workers late on Friday, arrested 150 of them and registered a case against another 1,000 for disturbing the law and order and attacking public and private properties.
Police raids for the arrest of more workers were in progress when this report was filed at 10:30pm.
Earlier in the day, PPP and civil society activists ransacked the general post office, central telephone exchange and banks and burnt official vehicles in protests on GT Road and other parts of the city against Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
According to a report, at least six people, including two police officials, were injured on Naushehra Road when PPP activists carrying clubs attacked public and private buildings and pelted stones at police. Police resorted to baton-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse the protesters.
In Wazirabad, the protesters burnt PML-Q banners, an election office and an effigy of party candidate Hamid Nasir Chattha. Later, they took out rallies and offered funeral prayers for Ms Bhutto.
Traders and transporters also observed a complete strike. As a result, people could not buy daily use items or take their patients to hospitals. The city and its suburbs were completely deserted. The local chamber of commerce and industry announced three-day mourning.
The district bar association also observed a complete strike and hoisted black flags at the bar room. Lawyers held a meeting in the bar room to pay homage to the PPP chairwoman.
Later, lawyers took out a protest rally, which started from district courts and terminated at Gondlanwala Chowk. They announced five-day mourning and funeral prayers for Ms Bhutto at the district court compound at 11am on Saturday (today).
MANDI BAHAUDDIN: A complete shutter down, wheel jam and funeral prayers marked the second day of Ms Bhutto’s assassination.
Thousands of PPP workers, leaders and PML-N leaders and workers attended the funeral prayers for Ms Bhutto at Cinema Ground on Friday afternoon and then dispersed peacefully.
Earlier, thousands of party workers staged a rally and pelted stones at police. Funeral prayers for Ms Bhutto were also offered in Gojra, Khall, Phalia and several other places of the district.
RAHIM YAR KHAN: The local traders’ body announced it would observe a complete strike on Saturday (today) to show solidarity with the Pakistan People’s Party.
A meeting of the Anjuman-i-Tajran, presided over by its acting president, called Ms Bhutto’s assassination a national tragedy. It appealed to traders to observe a complete shutter down and gather at the Eidgah at 11am to offer funeral prayers for the PPP chairwoman.
RAJANPUR: Violent PPP activists set on fire buildings of Punjab Bank and Khushhali Bank and a traffic police post. They also attacked the railway station and destroyed its doors and windows. They burnt a vehicle of the Nadra office, uprooted a Muslim Commercial Bank ATM machine and tried to set the National Bank of Pakistan on fire.
The police tried to stop them and this resulted in a clash between police and the protesters. The protesters, a majority of whom was between the ages of 10 to 21, tore apart PML-Q banners and posters. Later, they offered funeral prayers for Ms Bhutto in which former caretaker prime minister Balakh Sher Mazari and local leader Amanullah Khan Dareshak also participated.
In Fazilpur, an attempt by protesters to burn banks was foiled. In Mitthan Kot, protesters burnt public and private properties and clashed with the police. As a result, four protesters were injured.
LAYYAH: Angry activists of the PPP went berserk as they smashed panes of vehicles and ransacked many offices. They gathered at the party election office from where they took out a rally.
Several activists spoiled the portraits of the PML-Q leaders and billboards designed for their campaigns. They pelted many shops with stones, making the traders wind up trading in no time. All public utilities too remained shut the whole day through.
At Karor Lal Eisan, highly-charged activists ransacked the Tehsil Municipal Administration office and the mob demolished the boundary wall of a police post at Kotla Haji shah Town.
MUZAFFARGARH: Up to 150 funeral prayers were held at different places in the district. The District Bar Association announced a seven-day mourning and hoisted a black flag atop the bar room. Also more than 200 PPP workers, led by Rana Mahboob Akhtar and Mazhar Pahoor, arrived in Garhi Khuda Bux to attend the funeral prayer of the late Bhutto.
The strike was also observed in Hafizabad, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Vehari and other town.
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