Three people have been killed and another 14 injured on Friday in clashes at Pakistani protests against the offensive film against Islam.
Three people have been killed and another 14 injured on Friday in clashes at Pakistani protests against the offensive film against Islam. The government previously declared the day a public holiday, named “The Day of Love."
The violence has left two police officers in Karachi and a driver working for a private TV station in Peshawar dead.
This comes after Pakistani anti-US protesters have torched two cinemas in the northwestern city of Peshawar, media outlets reported.
Meanwhile, in the capital, Islamabad, throngs are pelting stones at police, who in turn teargas them, as the demonstrators attempt to storm the US embassy.
All this is amid the Day of Love, officially dedicated to honoring the Prophet. The government calls for peaceful protests, but the rallies have already turned violent.
Mobile service has been suspended in 15 Pakistani cities, and won’t resume until at least 06:00pm local time (13:00 GMT).
On Thursday, thousands tried to besiege the American embassy, with police using teargas and batons to disperse the protesters. Most of them were students, officials said.
Eight policemen were wounded in the clashes with the demonstrators. The live fire reportedly scattered the protesters temporarily, but they were soon back, throwing stones at the security forces.
Muslims around the world have been protesting for more than a week over an American-made movie insulting the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) circulated online, and a French satirical magazine later published cartoons offensive against the founder Profit of Islam.
In Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, Yemen, Iran, Sudan, and other countries protests have been raging, with over 40 people killed and hundreds injured across the Muslim world during the week.