M A I N   N E W S

Rioting spreads to other Pak cities
5 demonstrators die in police firing

Islamabad, October 9
As US strikes against Afghanistan continued for the third consecutive day today, fresh violence erupted in Pakistan where the police fired at anti-US demonstrators near Quetta, killing five persons.

Anti-US feeling spearheaded by religious groups intensified in Quetta, Rawalpindi and Islamabad with a large number of Afghan refugees also taking part in protests for the first time.

About 200 persons, including three leaders of hardline Islamic outfits, have been detained across Pakistan since yesterday, when violent anti-US protests began.

In the southwestern Baluchistan province, enraged rallyists were heard shouting they would first destroy Pakistan and then the USA.

They also burned effigies of exiled Afghan King Mohammad Zahir Shah, projected to head the government to replace the Taliban.

Four persons were killed and two injured this morning when the police fired at violent protesters who attacked a police station at Kuchlak, 25 km from Quetta, bordering Afghanistan, after being stopped from entering the city.

With today’s death, the toll in the violence reached to 10, with scores of others injured. One person was killed and eight others injured yesterday in Quetta during protests.

The news of political activism among the refugees was disturbing as Pakistan hosts over 2.5 million Afghans settled in different cities, including Islamabad.

The Pakistan Government has warned Afghan refugees against taking part in any demonstrations along with local religious groups.

Alarmed by yesterday’s violence in which several vehicles, buildings, including a Unicef office, and cinema halls were attacked and burned, the police detained pro-Taliban Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader Fazlur Rehman for the second time since Saturday to stop him from leading an anti-US rally. PTI