Mob damages four cinemas in Okara
OKARA, February 13 2006: Participants in a rally jointly taken out here on Sunday February 12 by religious parties and traders’ bodies turned violent and damaged four cinema houses, besides pillaging two petrol pumps.
Reports said the rally was organized by MMA, JUP, JUI(F) Sunni Tehrik, Mustafai Tehrik, Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Minhajul Quran, Pakistan Medical Association and Anjuman-i-Tajran to protest against blasphemous caricatures published by some European newspapers.
The protesters, who were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against the governments of the countries where the caricatures were published, demanded boycott of products made in these states. They also burnt effigies of US president and British Prime Minister Tonny Blair, besides flags of some European countries. They demanded President Gen Pervaiz Musharraf should expel the ambassadors of these countries and announce boycott of their products.
However, the protesters turned violent and hundreds of them entered the Ravi (Shell) Patrol Pump on the GT Road and took away many mobil oil gallons after damaging the filling station. Eyewitnesses said some of the protesters also started filling fuel in their bikes.
Some of the protesters completely damaged a billboard of Telenor company at kutchery bazaars.
Meanwhile, groups of protesters also damaged four city cinemas. They broke window panes of Sanam Cinema and destroyed some film boards at Venus Cinema. The protesters broke the gate of Palace Cinema, damaging its lobby, chairs and torn own the screen. They also set ablaze a motorcycle (OKD 6626) parked inside the cinema. They also damaged Gulistan Cinema.
A group of protesters blocked the track of Quetta-bound Jafar Express which was cleared by the authorities concerned after an hour.
A group of violent youngsters entered the Qari Colony and Sindhu Colony and damaged some grocery shops in the streets and damaged a PCO.
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters kept the GT Road blocked for many hours, causing a traffic jam.
Police controlled the violence after about four hours.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/13/2006
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