By IANS,
Islamabad : As many as 19 people were killed and over 100 injured after protests against the anti-Islam US film turned violent in several cities across Pakistan Friday, Geo News reported.
Islamabad summoned a US diplomat to lodge an official protest while Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said freedom of expression must not be used to insult religions.
The Pakistani government had called for peaceful protest and declared Friday as a national holiday to facilitate the people to join the protest.
Demonstrations were staged across Pakistan Friday against a YouTube video “Innocence of Muslims”, as the country observed Youm-e-Ishq-e-Rasool (Love of Prophet Mohammad day). The video has already triggered angry protests around the world.
Clashes between police and protesters were reported in several areas of Islamabad, as demonstrators entered the red zone and proceeded towards the US consulate. Police used tear gas to deter them.
Security was tightened and large contingents of police and Rangers were deployed across the city. The army was also put on alert.
In the port city of Karachi, five people died after clashes broke out. Protesters burnt five cinemas, several shops and vehicles were also destroyed on MA Jinnah Road. During the violence, two banks were set ablaze and three police vans were burnt.
The protesters also tried to march towards the US consulate, throwing stones at the police.
Hospital sources put the figure at 12 and over 110 being injured in the protests.
In Lahore, protesters and police clashed in several areas of the city. The protests intensified near the US consulate in the city. Police used tear gas shelling and aerial firing to disperse the protesters.
Four more died in Peshawar. Several people were injured. Agitated demonstrators set fire to two cinemas while two people including an employee of a private TV channel were killed during a firing incident on GT Road. The Chamber of Commerce was also ransacked.
Authorities used shipping containers to block roads leading to the US consulate, the offices of Western aid organisations and other key buildings in the city.
Violence was also witnessed in Rawalpindi, as demonstrators took to the roads leading to Islamabad and pelted cars and police with stones. They destroyed a CNG station. Besides, two police vans and check-posts were also set on fire.
A day earlier, huge crowds had attempted to storm Islamabad’s diplomatic enclave.
On Friday, US Charge D’Affaires Richard Hoagland in Islamabad was summoned to the foreign ministry.
He was told “this was an attack on 1.5 billion Muslims and a premeditated and a malicious act to spread hatred and violence among people of different faiths,” reported Xinhua quoting the ministry.
Speaking at an official function in Islamabad as part of the nationwide protest against the YouTube video, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf condemned the film and stressed that no one should insult religions under the excuse of freedom of expression.
“Let me make it absolutely clear, this is not about freedom of expression, this is more about hatred, and it also demonstrates blatant double-standards,” Ashraf said.