Women police officers arresting Amna Janjua during the protest of the relatives of the missing persons at Jinnah Avenue, near D-Chowk in Islambad on April 28, 2014. PHOTO: INP
On the orders of Prime Minister, the Islamabad Police later released the protesters.
Earlier, a scuffle broke out between the police and protesters when the latter, mostly family members and relatives of missing persons, attempted to approach Parliament House.
Amina Masood Janjua, who was leading the protest, was among the arrested.
Several protesters and police personnel suffered injuries, while Jinnah Avenue was closed for traffic. More than 20 tear gas shells were fired by Islamabad Police to control the crowd.
Two hundred elite force personnel of Punjab Police were also called in for reinforcement.
Media personnel were also injured when elite force personnel reportedly prevented them from covering the incident.
Later on Monday, PM Nawaz Sharif said that he disapproved of the police torture on the protesters and directed action against certain police personnel according to a tweet by Radio Pakistan.
The Premier further said that peaceful protest is the democratic of every citizen.
PM Nawaz Sharif says peaceful protest is democratic right of citizens
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) April 28, 2014
Taking notice of the incident, the Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has suspended ASP City and ASP secretariat.
Deputy Commissioner Islamabad has also been asked to conduct inquiry into the atrocities committed by the police.
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