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Four die in Pak police firing

Sargodha (Pakistan), November 9
The Pakistani police today killed four persons when they opened fire on pro-Taliban protesters in a nationwide crackdown on a general strike called by Islamic parties against the government support for the war on Afghanistan.

The police said they baton-charged and lobbed tear gas at more than 1,000 protesters blocking a train at the Shadan Lund railway station, 150 km from the central Punjab city of Multan, before opening fire.

Dr Khalil ur Rehman Lund at the rural health centre in Shadan Lund said four persons died of bullet wounds and four were wounded. The police said they had detained 22 protesters.

“The people have dispersed but there is still tension in the area as people are very angry,” Lund said. Local officials earlier said 4,000 persons had gathered to block the train.

Roads were almost deserted and shops closed, as the government had also declared today as a national holiday to mark the birthday of Pakistan’s national poet, Allama Iqbal. Reuters