Police in Pakistan mentioned a hardline Islamist group had taken six safety personnel hostage at its headquarters in Lahore on Sunday after every week of violent clashes following the arrest of the group’s chief.

The Tehrik-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) group had given the federal government an April 20 deadline to expel the French ambassador over the publication of cartoons in France depicting the Prophet Mohammad. The authorities responded by arresting its chief, prompting supporters to carry protests and sit-ins throughout Pakistan. No less than 4 folks had been killed, tons of injured, and 1000’s arrested. Pakistan banned the group after the violence.

A senior police officer and two paramilitary had been among the many six being held by supporters of (TLP), Lahore police spokesman Arif Rana informed Reuters.

“The TLP activists have two gasoline tankers containing 1000’s of liters of petrol. They’re throwing petrol bombs and stones at safety officers, and likewise taking pictures bullets as the results of which 11 officers are injured,” Rana mentioned, including the operation was ongoing.

TLP spokesman Shafiq Amini informed Reuters 4 supporters had been killed on Sunday by police and a number of other others had been wounded.

Pakistani information channels have been barred from offering protection of the group because it was banned final week , and on Sunday cellular and web providers had been down within the space the place clashes had been going down.

Roads resulting in the headquarters of the group, in Lahore’s Chowk Yateemkahan, have been blocked.

Nonetheless, supporters of TLP have been sharing movies on social media of what they mentioned had been clashes on Sunday with police, and hashtags supporting the group had been trending in Pakistan on Sunday.

The movies, which Reuters couldn’t independently confirm, confirmed 1000’s of protesters clashing with police in riot-gear, as clouds of tear gasoline hung within the air and the crackle of gunfire might be heard. Different movies confirmed injured protesters being carried away.

On Saturday Prime Minister Imran Khan mentioned the group had been banned as a result of it “challenged the writ of the state and used road violence & attacking the general public & regulation enforcers.”

Final week France suggested its residents to quickly go away Pakistan for his or her security.