Five cops injured foiling HT demo

LAHORE, April 17: The police captured 16 activists of a banned outfit after a clash with them in Qartaba Chowk on Sunday that left a few demonstrators and five policemen injured. The police said the activists of Hizbul Tehrir (HT) wanted to take out a rally from Shama Chowk on Ferozepur Road to Faisal Chowk on The Mall against the government for its alleged pro-US policies and in favour of bringing about Khilafat system in the country when they were intercepted near Qartaba Chowk. As a police contingent tried to disperse them by snatching their flags and banners, a clash broke out between the two sides which led to a baton charge by the police. The demonstrators who were carrying sticks also retaliated. The police, however, overpowered over a dozen activists and bundled them into vans and shifted them to Mughalpura police station. Lytton Road SHO Khalid Farooq, who also received injuries and was hospitalised, told Dawn that DSP Atif Hayyat and three other police officers also suffered bruises. He said that 15 protesters were picked by the police and a case would be registered against them. The HT was banned along with some other organisations during General Musharraf's regime in 2002. It had planned a string of activities from April 13, including holding an exhibition titled 'The System of Khilafah' and taking out country-wide rallies with slogan 'Eject America, remove the treacherous rulers and bring back the Khilafah' on Sunday (April 17).