Pakistan: Angry supporters of ruling party barge into Sindh House in Islamabad

Angry supporters of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday forcibly entered the Sindh House in Islamabad after staging a protest outside for hours against dissident lawmakers who are camping in the building.

Television footages showed dozens of PTI workers scaling the walls of Sindh House with some of them later breaking down the doors to enter the building.

The activists arrived at the Sindh House and chanted slogans against the dissident lawmakers, accusing them of “selling their consciences”.

Police ordered the protestors to vacate the main gate of the building and moved to the other side, however, they refused to vacate the main gate.

The workers were led by PTI lawmakers Faheem Khan and Ataullah from Karachi, according to Pakistani media reports.

PPP leader Sharjeel Memon termed the storming a ‘failure’ of the Islamabad police and the interior ministry, saying “we consider the attack on Sindh House an attack on the Sindh province.”

The way PTI federal ministers had been questioning why policemen from Sindh were deployed at the building had received their answer now, he was quoted as saying by Dawn News.

“When they were taking such actions, Islamabad police were silent. If Sindh police were not there today, PPP MNAs who were staying inside with their families would be in danger. Imran Khan has been defeated. Now he wants a clash.”

A heavy contingent of the Islamabad police later reached the scene and dispersed the protesters. The police detained eight workers, including two PTI lawmakers, from the Sindh House.

• Pakistan