Two die in cartoon protests

2006-02-14 16:23

Jalilur Rehman

Lahore - Two demonstrators died on Tuesday as angry mobs stormed a diplomatic enclave and attacked US fast food outlets in Pakistan's worst protests yet against cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

The men were gunned down by security guards in the eastern city of Lahore as about 15 000 demonstrators went on a fiery rampage against McDonald's and Pizza Hut outlets as well as banks and government buildings.

Police earlier fired tear gas and water cannon against hundreds of students who stormed into a high-security compound in Islamabad and headed for the British, French and Indian embassies.

Pakistan has witnessed small protests almost daily since the furore over the Danish cartoons erupted late last month, but the rallies have turned angrier in the recent days.

More than 100 people were also injured, none seriously, Lahore mayor Mian Aamir Mahmood told AFP.

"People have a right to protest, but they must desist from attacking public and private property," he said.

Paramilitary troops were deployed to crack down on mobs still running riot in the historic city centre and were sent to stand guard outside the US Consulate, officials said.

Clouds of tear gas and choking smoke hung over the historic city of seven million people late on Tuesday as protesters burnt more than 100 cars, motorbikes and piles of tyres.

In Islamabad about 600 pupils - most wearing school uniforms - peeled off from a larger crowd of about 3 000 protesters and entered the city's supposedly secure diplomatic compound.

They threw stones at the Indian High Commission and smashed windows and hoardings outside a branch of Standard Chartered bank before police expelled them from the barricaded and fenced-off area, witnesses said.

Police used teargas while fire trucks with water cannon mounted on their roofs also hosed down the protesters.

Police wielding batons could be seen dragging some people away.

- AFP