Update 2 – Pakistan Protesters Accused Of Attacking Tv Employees

Anti-government protesters occupying a state television channel's offices in Pakistan have been accused of taking its employees hostage on Monday. 



Footage aired by private channel Geo TV showed stick-wielding supporters of preacher Tahir-ul-Qadri's Pakistani Awami Tehrik party in the PTV channel's building. They were shown chanting pro-Qadri and pro-army slogans, smashing vehicles and one was seen harassing a female employee. 



Qadri has called on his supporters to listen to the army's request for them to vacate the building.



Since August 14, protesters have been demanding Sharif's resignation but the leading figure in the protest, cricketer turned politician Imran Khan, has denounced the attack on the PTV offices. 



"[Khan's party] PTI did not attack PTV and we totally disown this action. It damages our cause. We have always been peaceful & unarmed," Khan posted on his Twitter page. 



He has also claimed that his supporters now "control" the entrance to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's house, which they had earlier been warned away from by the army. 



Many observers in Pakistan have noted that while there has been an army presence at the site of protests, they have not intervened in the violence. 



Earlier Monday, the protesters occupied a building that houses government ministries, using rocks to repulse a police attempt to disperse them with teargas and batons. 



Some 800 to 1000 protesters charged at the police, helped by heavy rains that defused the teargas shells.



The army are guarding parliament; the prime minister's residence and other state buildings, warning protesters not to advance any further. 



The soldiers did not intervene as some protesters set vehicles on fire and targeted police with petrol bombs and stones, injuring the city's police chief in the process. 



Hospital sources confirmed that 20 injured were brought to hospitals on Monday morning, including five policemen.



After more than two weeks of peaceful protests, the demonstrations took a violent turn over the weekend, after protesters attempted to reach Sharif's house on Saturday night.



The army warned the prime minister and opposition to urgently negotiate a solution to the crisis, which reportedly led to the deaths of three protesters over the weekend and has sparked concern that Pakistan may be headed towards military intervention. 



www.aa.com.tr/en - İslamabad