Police fired tear gas, trying to disperse hundreds of religious
students who occupied Islamabad's Red Mosque on Friday and demanded
the return of its pro-Taliban cleric, two weeks after an army
storming that left over 100 dead.
Protesters threw stones at an armored personnel carrier and
dozens of police in riot gear on a road outside the mosque. After
protesters disregarded police calls to disperse peacefully, police
fired the tear gas, and scattered the crowd which mostly fled back
inside the mosque compound.
A voice on the mosque loudspeaker - where a small group of
religious students appeared to be in control - appealed for the
protesters not to attack security forces, but the situation
remained tense.
A suicide bomber blew himself up on Friday among a group of
policemen near the Red Mosque, killing at least 10 people and
wounding many others, a security official said.
"A man detonated explosives strapped to his body among two rows
of Punjab police constabulary members who were there on duty
because of the unrest at the Red Mosque," the security official
said on condition of anonymity.
"At least 10 people have been killed and many wounded."
Interior ministry spokesman Brigadier Javed Cheema confirmed
there had been a blast near the capital's Aabpara market and said
authorities were still checking details.
Earlier Friday, security forces stood by as protesters clambered
onto the roof of the mosque and daubed red paint on the walls after
forcing the retreat of a government-appointed cleric who was
assigned to lead Friday prayers.
The protesters demanded the return of the mosque's former chief
cleric, Abdul Aziz - who is currently in government detention - and
shouted slogans against President General Pervez Musharraf. Later a
cleric from a seminary associated with the mosque led the
prayers.
Armed police stood by but did not enter the courtyard where the
demonstration was taking place.
Islamabad commissioner Khalid Pervez said police forces did not
want to go inside the mosque in case it led to a clash with
protesters. He said the reaction of Aziz's supporters was
understandable and predicted things would calm down.
Over mosque loudspeakers, protesters were vowing to "take
revenge for the blood of martyrs".
Pakistan's Geo television showed scenes of pandemonium inside
the mosque, with dozens of young men in traditional Islamic
clothing and prayers caps shouting angrily and punching the air
with their hands.
(China Daily July 28, 2007)
