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Pakistan army backs democracy after Islamabad clashes | |
(about 23 hours later) | |
Pakistan's army commanders expressed concern and said they support democracy after clashes between police and protesters in Islamabad left three people dead and hundreds hurt. | |
Protesters are demanding the resignation of PM Nawaz Sharif. | |
Demonstrators loyal to opposition politician Imran Khan and cleric Tahirul Qadri have been taking part in a sit-in for two weeks. | Demonstrators loyal to opposition politician Imran Khan and cleric Tahirul Qadri have been taking part in a sit-in for two weeks. |
They accuse Mr Sharif of corruption and electoral fraud - charges he denies. | |
'Serious concern' | |
The army commanders' meeting was brought forward after violence overnight. | |
Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif chaired the meeting at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, close to Islamabad. | |
Gen Sharif had stepped in on Friday to mediate, after Imran Khan ended talks with the government. | |
In a statement, the army said the commanders viewed the ongoing political crisis with "serious concern". | |
"Further use of force will only aggravate the problem." | |
The protesters broke security barriers to move closer to Mr Sharif's residence late on Saturday, sparking clashes with the police which continued overnight and into Sunday. | |
Police used tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of protesters armed with batons, gas masks and slingshots. | |
Islamabad police chief Khalid Khattak told the BBC that close to 100 protesters had been arrested, some armed with "axes, hammers and cutters". | |
An official at the Polyclinic hospital in Islamabad told reporters that the wounds of those injured were caused by tear-gas shells, stones and batons. | |
One protester died of a heart attack in a ditch near the clashes, said Dr Wasim Khawaja, spokesman for the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad. | One protester died of a heart attack in a ditch near the clashes, said Dr Wasim Khawaja, spokesman for the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad. |
A BBC correspondent who visited the same hospital reports that many of the injured are policemen. | |
Speaking to BBC World TV, Mr Qadri condemned the police's actions as an "unimaginable attack by the state upon the people", and denied that protesters were armed. | |
Imran Khan said on Sunday: "I am prepared to die here. I have learnt that the government plans a major crackdown against us tonight. I am here till my last breath." | |
The protesters began their sit-in after a huge march from Lahore to Islamabad, vowing to camp out in the capital until the government stood down. | The protesters began their sit-in after a huge march from Lahore to Islamabad, vowing to camp out in the capital until the government stood down. |
Last year's elections marked Pakistan's first civilian transfer of power. | Last year's elections marked Pakistan's first civilian transfer of power. |
Are you in Islamabad? Did you take part in the protests? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Are you in Islamabad? Did you take part in the protests? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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