Pakistan police use tear gas and water cannon on thousands of anti-France protesters
- Saad Rizvi, leader of Islamist anti-blasphemy party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, was detained in Lahore on Monday, party officials said
- Rizvi had been trying to organise a march on the capital Lahore next week to demand the expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan
Pakistan police used tear gas and water cannon on Monday on thousands of supporters of an Islamist anti-blasphemy party after the arrest of their leader, who has called for the expulsion of the French ambassador.
Anti-French sentiment has been simmering for months in Pakistan since the government of President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for a magazine’s right to republish cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed – deemed blasphemous by many Muslims.
Saad Rizvi, leader of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), was detained in Lahore on Monday, party officials said.
His arrest was confirmed by police, but they did not say on what charges.
He had been trying to organise a march on the capital on April 20 to demand the expulsion of the French ambassador.
