300 injured in Islamabad clashes as protesters surround parliament

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (KUNA) -- Over 300 people were injured in clashes among police and anti-government protesters in federal capital Islamabad on Sunday as protesters surrounded the parliament building, officials said.
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at thousands of protesters, led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chief Dr Tahirul Qadri.
The violent clashes erupted late on Saturday as thousands of protesters started a march towards the Prime Minister House.
Wasim Khawaja, spokesman for the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad, said 195 injured people have been taken to his hospital, while the Polyclinic Hospital said it has received 128 wounded so far.
Protesters of PTI and PAT are attempting to move forward, pelting stones and brandishing sticks as they march, where security forces are retaliating with tear gas shelling.
Islamabad Police chief Khalid Khatak told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that over 100 protesters were arrested at the scene of the clashes, adding that many of them were armed with axes, hammers and cutters.
Tear-gas shelling has been intensified in the "Red Zone," where embassies and key government offices are located.
Asif Kirmani, spokesman for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in a statement said, "A state can't be left at the mercy of some thousand people." PTI leader, Shafqat Mahmood said in a statement to the Kuwaiti news agency, "We were attacked. Police attacked our cars having parliamentarians in them. We are going to lodge an FIR against the government." A First Information Report (FIR) is a written document prepared by police organizations in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence.
Political parties, Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), PTI, PAT, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) along with religious parties Majlis Wahdit e Muslimeen (MWM) and Sunni Tehreek have announced a plan to observe a "Day of Mourning" on Sunday. (end) sbk.rk