An Express News screengrab of police trying to disperse the protesters.
Son of Dr Tahirul Qadri, Dr Hussain Mohiudin Qadri is nominated as the main suspect in the three-page FIR, which was registered on the complaint of SHO Faisal Town Rizwan Qadir. Sections of murder, attempted murder and terrorism have been included in the FIR.
Earlier today (Wednesday), Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the deaths of the PAT activists who were killed in the mayhem.
The clash, which took place outside the Minhajul Quran International Secretariat, had left as many as eight party workers including two women dead and 85 others injured.
Express News Islamabad bureau chief Amir Ilyas Rana reported that the premier has formed a judicial commission to find out those responsible for the Lahore incident.
Nawaz said that those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.
Cabinet meeting
Taking notice of the Lahore clash, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has called a cabinet meeting to discuss the incident.
Following the pitched battles in the streets, Shahbaz had ordered a judicial inquiry and offered to step down if found responsible for the bloodshed outside the Minhajul Quran International Secretariat.
'PAT leaders provoked supporters'
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, while speaking to media in Lahore, said the demolition of barriers was a routine anti-encroachment exercise and that certain elements twisted the event into a political clash.
“This is why we have established inquiry committees; those responsible will be punished by law,” he said, further accusing PAT leaders of provoking their supporters to violence.
Express News screengrab of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah speaking to media in Lahore.
The provincial law minister said statements issued by Qadri and his party leaders intensified the situation. “I extend my sympathies and condolences to those who were provoked by their leaders and were injured in the clash,” he said.
Sanaullah called on Qadri to accept the state, the law and current political realities and not create difference among the people. “If Dr Qadri wants change, he should come here and win the public’s mandate but he cannot impose his agenda by force,” the Punjab law minister said.
He lashed out at critics who were accusing Punjab government of delaying investigation into the incident. “Those who are saying we are using delaying tactics are questioning the integrity our judiciary; the judges working on this case are independent and they don’t take orders from anyone.
Demanding resignation
Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, while speaking to the media outside the provincial assembly on Wednesday, demanded the resignation of the Punjab chief minister as well as that of the Punjab law minister.
Express News screengrab of Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed speaking to the media outside the provincial assembly.
Rasheed added that the judicial commission, which will investigate the mayhem in Lahore, was "a joke."
Expressing similar sentiments to that of Rasheed, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, while speaking to the media in Lahore, remarked that no one will accept the judicial commission formed to investigate into the Lahore clash.
Express News screengrab of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain speaking to the media in Lahore.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, standing next to Hussain, also criticised the Punjab government for not taking strict actions regarding the bloodshed in Lahore, adding that the provincial government was trying to cover it up.
He added that the country is not capable of handling such incidents.
"The clash in Lahore is a sad incident," Rehman said, expressing condolences to the families of the victims of the brutal encounter between the PAT workers and the police.
He also stated that those responsible for the mayhem should be punished.
Boycott
The opposition in the Punjab Assembly boycotted the session of the provincial assembly today (Wednesday).
The reason behind the boycott was reportedly that they were not being allowed to discuss the clash in Lahore.
Express News screengrab of opposition members in the Punjab Assembly chanting slogans outside the assembly.
At the stairs outside the assembly, opposition members chanted slogans against the Punjab government as well as the Lahore police.
Funeral
The funeral of six of the eight people who were killed in the clash between PAT workers and the police was held at the Minhajul Quran International Secretariat late on Tuesday.
Express News screengrab of the funeral.
Several leaders of political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Punjab president Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed also attended the funeral.
Hundreds of PAT workers as well as members of religious parties were present at the funeral.
COMMENTS (42)
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This is a government of gully butt like people felling shame while using word democracy
@ Ch Allah Daad I just feel sorry for you and your ignorant thinking.
What a Shameful system and shameless people we have in Punjab govt. Its a SHAMEFUL day for masses who vote for them.
PMLN could not fix police in 25 years of tyranny , what more do you expect from them.
Let no one take law in their hands.
@ Ch Allah Daad, not only have your so called leaders lost their sense of morality, clearly seems their fans also have no civic sense and sensibility. I pity thee!
Is there any policemen indicted in the FIR - supporters of Gullu Butt
Any action to desteblize the govt. at this crucial hour will be delt with iron hand . The protest was in fact against the army actiion against the terrorists .
I will support him till the very end. He is the champion of democracy that the country needs
@Ch Allah Daad
You will only support PML-N and N-Brothers.. man what about gullu butt ? He is a living example of democracy and constitution :D .May be next candidate of Punjab CM. Don't leave him alone please. Bewafa mat bano yaar
Police is politicized. Militants of PMLN have been inducted. They cannot deliver justice.
police is same for everyone ,must stop to gullu but , this is the big evidence that govt is involved .pak police is follow the leader not justice/system/rules.
Only ISI can impartially investigate it. No police, no judicial commission. Period! There was a reason to remove the previous IG Police. And Rana Sanaullah carries judges in pocket like nickels and dimes due to his association with Iftikhar Chaudhry.
Gullu Butt have certainly ensured his rise in the party.Will be MNA and probably a minister in the near future.Who says crime doesn't pay?
I wish one day he has to speak about teh killings of Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz at the hands of Police. Only then can he understand how much ti hurts!!!! i pray to see that day if he don't corrects his wrong doings.
@Ch. Allah Daad: You mean there was any doubt left of not taking the ownership of the incident?!! You are entitled to your own opinion but when you use words like integrity, sincerity, champion of democracy etc. you only weaken your own argument, as there is ample evidence which nullifies all the traits you just mentioned.
@Riz: Suo motto on this? Wishful thinking, dude.
innocent people start throwing stones and challange police writ
@Atif: How can this government be so idiotically stupid ? It's mind boggling.
Lot of prayers to the victims, The citizen of Pakistan. May God give strength to the families of martyrs to bear the loss of their loved ones. Luv and prayers for the injured Pakistanis. hope they get well soon!
I feel sad and sorry for all the Pakistanis and pray that this does not happen again... Oh God please put us on right track... I See all of us lacking the basics... I see all of us blaming, criticizing and taunting at others.. I see no one in a position to justify the 'position' he is holding.
PAT workers didn't die yesterday. Pakistan's daughters and sons died. Oh please! don't link them with any political party anymore. Call them brothers and sisters and sons and daughters. They were us. The lived like us. they dreamed like us. The only difference between us and them was a difference of leadership. Does that suggest they should not have the right to live. I am sorry we can have political differences but it does not give anyone the license to kill.
Punishing my countrymen and taking their lives for a visionary conflict...Whether its Taliban or an act of state.. It is not acceptable... if we cant be united to condemn the killing of our own countrymen, we will end up our lives same way some day.
Pakistani Zindabad!
Pakistan Paindabad!
@Ch. Allah Daad: Er..which people who put to task exactly? Do you mean gullu butt? Really, all those who were protecting gullu butt while he was breaking those car windows also need to be arrested, or suspended at the very least. But I doubt out Cm will have the courage to do that.
@Ch. Allah Daad: " Nawaz Sharif’s integrity and sincerity cannot be questioned. I will support him till the very end. He is the champion of democracy that the country needs."
Yes, and this is the president of USA commenting here by the alias "Ahmed".
@Ch. Allah Daad: Correction, PM did not take ownership, just expressed sorrow - which was like the absolute minimum that was required. What should happened is that people should be suspended if any inquiry is taking place. PM missed another opportunity to earn some points.
@Ch. Allah Daad: Thank God i am not that shameless supporter of PTI..If they do such things i will never forgive them..If you can't value the life of a single person then you don't deserve our support.
Intolerance is the tradition of N-League and they have proved it another time. If they are afraid of Qadri they should have dealt with him. Only innocent people are their target??????
life and limb has no value in this Nation. What are our values? Can someone answer, what do we care for, what is important to us, it seems the value of life is certainly not top priority, even news media such as the BBC has stopped broadcasting these small numbers of deaths when they occur in Pakistan, i.e. it really does not matter. When we ourselves have become so uncaring, so unbecoming, so inhuman, why should others even bother. Our "leaders" and people are from the same stock, there is no use blaming one or the other, they are all the same, thousands and thousands of people have lost their lives in Pakistan, and still the government and the people have not learnt any lesson. Other nations look at us with disdain. The very reason for this nation gaining independence is questionable, what for? so people can murder each other, without consequences ? without any law, this is the status quo, living conditions in this country. The proof of this statement is our history, how many have lost their lives violently, how many have been have tried and convicted??? are nations made for these reasons??.
And we then blame India over their atrocities in Kashmir. We need to first love and own our citizens before we poke our nose elsewhere. These tested politicians are known already, so why we are surprised.
Punjab government should at once start peace talks with the Vandals
.....and how is the weather in Dushanbe ?
After a deep sleep he woke up and expresses sorrow. Sir, everyone in Pakistan is expressing sorrow (except your party), there are many people to express sorrow, you are PRIME MINISTER of Pakistan do some thing more than this, please.
@Ahmed: Yes. I am very happy to see the PM taking ownership of the incident. Yesterday the CM also took full responsibility and put the persons responsible to task. What happened yesterday is very unfortunate, but the PML-N leadership is taking excellent steps to rectify this. Nawaz Sharif's integrity and sincerity cannot be questioned. I will support him till the very end. He is the champion of democracy that the country needs.
Normal democracy: I may not agree with you but I will defend to death your right to say it.
Pml-n democracy: I may not agree with you so I will shoot you and unleash gullu butt.
The supreme Court had time to suo motto action for a bottle of wine but no action for vote rigging and political murders; nexus any one!?
Whatever happened at Lahore is the beauty of democracy.
What routine excercise starts at 2am? And involves gullu butt?
"Meeting has been called"
What else they do? Meanwhile Nawazullah is on another foreign tour!!!!!!
@Chaudary Allah Daad saab any comments??
His Excellency has expressed sorrow over the incident; what more people want from him!.
His party involved in the tragedy and now he feels sorry. I think Supreme Court will take Suo Motto action.