3 Die İn Pakistan Anti-Government Clashes

Three protesters have died in clashes in Pakistani capital Islamabad between riot police and anti-government demonstrations as they marched towards the prime minister's residence and the parliament on Saturday to press the Nawaz Sharif government to step down.



Close to 500 people including 70 policemen have been injured in clashes, hospital sources confirmed on Sunday, while police have arrested at least 70 protesters.



Police fired teargas to push back nearly a thousand activists -- from opposition parties Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf -- as they pushed forward throwing stones and bricks.



Supporters of both parties, led by Awami Tehreek leader Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri and Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, have been camping out in Islamabad for over two weeks to pressure Sharif to step down for alleged electoral fraud in last year's general elections.



Hundreds of protesters who managed to barge into the boundary of the parliament house pegged tents in the sprawling lawn as heavy contingents of security forces were lined up in front of the main parliament building.



 "Security forces are showing restraint to avert human loss as hundreds of women and children are among the protesters," defense minister Khawaja Asif said Saturday, adding that the police had strictly been ordered not to use live bullets.



PM Sharif's political secretary Dr. Asif Kirmani said in a statement that Sharif would not resign.



"There is no question of Mr. Prime Minister's resignation. He will not resign on the demand of a few thousands of people," he said.



On Wednesday, police in Pakistan's northeastern region of Punjab registered a murder case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other senior government officials for the deaths of 14 anti-government activists in June.



Sharif's brother Shehbaz Sharif, who is Punjab's chief minister; Defense Minister Khawaja Asif; Information Minister Pervez Rasheed; and Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique are among those accused.



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