Pakistan police and banned party supporters clash: report

Protesters of the TLP Islamist party took police officers hostage while security forces killed at least three party supporters, according to Pakistani newspaper Dawn.

At least three supporters of the recently banned far-right Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan (TLP) were killed in Lahore on Sunday during clashes with the police, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported.

Amid a crackdown by the police, TLP supporters have protested in Lahore over the past few days, demanding the expulsion of the French ambassador over publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed.

Five police officers were taken hostage and at least 11 officials were hospitalized for their injuries after "brutal torture" by TLP members, Dawncited a police spokesperson as saying.

A TLP leader said in a video

statement that several party members were killed and others injured as security forces attacked their protest.

"We will not bury our dead till the French ambassador is ex

pelled," TLP's Shafiq Ameeni said in a video message.

How did the situation escalate?

In a vague statement, authorities said that officers were

trapped in a police station under attack by armed criminals who stole an oil tanker.

"Police did not plan or conduct any operation on the mosque... The action, if any, was in self defense and to protect public property," the police statement read.

Lahore Police spokesperson Arif Rana told the Pakistani news outlet Arab News that they started an operation against protesters after officers were taken hostages.

"The operation against the protesters has been halted for a while to avert any untoward situation as they are armed with petrol bombs and a 50,000 oil liter tanker," Rana was quoted as saying by Arab News.

Videos circulated on social media platforms showed a violent and deadly crackdown by the police on protesters.

Over the past week, police arrested hundreds of TLP protesters. The arrest of the party leader, Saad Rizvi, further fueled the tensions.

Police used tear gas to dis

Lahore Police say they started an operation against protesters after officers were taken hostages