VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN PAKISTAN, 2 KILLED AFTER TOP RELIGIOUS LEADER IS ARRESTED

At least two people were killed and several others, including police officers, injured when violence erupted in several cities across the country on Monday following the arrest of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, according to a Dawn report.

The TLP was protesting alleged blasphemous caricatures published in France and demanding that the French ambassador to Pakistan be sent home and the import of goods from that country be banned.

In a recent video message, Rizvi had asked TLP workers to be ready to launch a “long march” if the government failed to meet an April 20 deadline of meeting the demands. It prompted the government to arrest the TLP chief.

After Rizvi was arrested, TLP called for countrywide protests. Hours later, protesters took to the streets and blocked the Grand Trunk Road. Traffic between all the major cities including Lahore, Gujranwala, Islamabad and Peshawar were cut off, according to the report.