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Pakistan police officers taken hostage during anti-France protests: Officials

After days of heated anti-France protests in the country, officials have reported that at least seven Pakistan police officers and special rangers were taken hostage during the protests.

Protests broke out in Pakistan last week after the leader of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was detained in Lahore after demanding the expulsion of the French ambassador.

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“The TLP members are holding five police officers and two rangers hostage,” Rana Arif, a police spokesperson told the news agency AFP.

During these protests, at least six policemen have lost their lives and several others injured in the violent clashes.

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Following the violent clashes, the French government had urged its citizens to return back to France citing concerns about their safety.

“Violent groups armed with petrol bombs and acid bottles stormed the Nawankot police station this morning,” Firdous Ashiq Awan, a spokeswoman for the Punjab provincial government tweeted.

TLP has claimed that several party supporters were killed during the Sunday clashes but have refused to bury the dead bodies till the “French ambassador is kicked out,” Allama Muhammad Shafiq Amini, a TLP leader in the city, said in a video statement. 

Source: Thanks WIONews.com