Police baton-charge students rally- (Islamabad Thursday)

(Courtesy The News)

Hundreds of people including students, lawyers, political activistsand members of the civil society staged a protest demonstrationagainst the government policies and demanded restoration of deposedjudges and lifting of ban on Geo TV.The activists of Joint Students Movement and people belonging todifferent walks of life gathered at Aabpara Chowk and startedchanting slogans against the government.Police resorted to baton charge to disperse the mob when theyreached near Aabpara Police Station causing injuries to manyprotesters. Angry people hurled stones at police and damaged twopolice vehicles while two police officials including the driver of apolice vehicle were injured.Meanwhile, crackdown against lawyers, students and key politicalleaders of opposition has been launched to counter increasing trendof protest demonstrations for independence of media and judiciary.“People involved in breaching peace would be held,” SSP IslamabadKaleem Imam said when contacted for his comments, adding thatmiscreants would be arrested to maintain order in the metropolis.The SSP said, “I do not want to spoil the peaceful atmosphere ofIslamabad but those found creating law and order situation will notbe spared.” He added that miscreants pelted stones and injured twopolice officials and damaged police vehicles in Tuesday rally.“Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is scheduled to meet thedeposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad ChaudhryThursday (today), will be intercepted at borderline of ‘Red Zone’and will not be allowed to cross the line,” an officer responsiblefor maintaining law and order, told when contacted.A list of over 100 lawyers, student leaders, political activists andmembers of civil society have been handed over to the raiding parties, sources told 'The News'.

Police parties kept raiding the house of lawyers including President Islamabad Bar, Haroon-ur-Rasheed and former President Bar Tariq Jahangiri. However, no arrest was made till the filing of this report.Security at barriers set on the way to Judicial Colony has been beefed up to intercept leader of PML-N Mian Nawaz Sharif and hundreds of personnel of law enforcing agencies have been deployed in and around the Colony.
Online adds: Hundreds of students observed protest day on Wednesday against the imposition of emergency and curbs on media and judiciary and clashed with police while marching towards the house of sackedSC chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to present flowers to him. The students wanted to present flowers to the deposed SC chief justice but were stopped by the federal and the Punjab police in front of GPO. The police baton-charged the rally to disburse the protestors. The students in reply also pelted stones at the police. Earlier, the students belonging to Joint Student Movement, Islami Jamiat Talba and different colleges and universities of the capital protested in front of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club camp office. Addressing the protestors, President RIUJ Afzal Butt said that after the journalists and lawyers, the students are also joining the movement for the restoration of the judiciary and in the favour of free media and the movement would be continued until the restoration of pre-November 3 situation. The rally was participated by Islami Jamiat Talba, Islamic University, Quaid-e-Azam University, Joint Student Movement, Gordon College, Punjab College, NUML and Asghar Mall College.