By IRNA
Islamabad : A total of 53 persons including policemen, journalists, lawyers and two members of parliament were injured during anti-Musharraf rallies in Islamabad on Saturday, doctors said.
All the injured were admitted to the Federal Government Services Hospital, Islamabad for treatment, according to a list issued from the hospital’s Department of Trauma and Emergency.
The injured include 27 lawyers, 8 journalists, two members of parliament and 14 policemen, according to the hospital list.
Two injured were listed as presidential candidates namely Iqbal Babar Talha and Noushad Imrani.
The injured parliamentarians are Zamrud Khan of the opposition Peoples Party and Farooq Sattar of the Mutahida Qaumi Movement, coalition partner of the ruling Muslim League-Q.
Riot police clashed with protesting lawyers and political activists who tried to march to the office of election chief, who was scrutinizing nomination papers of President Pervez Musharraf and his rival presidential candidates.
The police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse
demonstrators, who were chanting slogans against President Musharraf.
Protestors threw stones at police and some lawyers also used batons to hit police.
The police had erected barricades to stop the marchers from reaching the office of election chief but some lawyers succeeded to reach close to the building.
Police also beat journalists, photographers and cameramen who were covering the protest near the Election Office.
Angry journalists beat Minister of State for Information Tariq Azim as he came to meet protesting journalists.
The police rescued and drove Mr Azeem in their vehicle.
Journalists boycotted an iftar party hosted in their honor by the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister postponed the iftar after boycott.