Rawalpindi - Tear gas  fired by police to disperse the protestors of a religious group blocking main entrance of the federal capital affected a large number of residents living near Faizabad Interchange.

Scores of women, men, girls, boys and children fell unconscious with the intoxicated smoke of tear gas shells and were shifted to hospitals for medical treatment. Similarly, many persons were hit by tear gas shells on Murree Road.

According to details, the police and paramilitary forces launched an operation against protestors of TLYR camped at Faizabad Interchange to press the government to remove Federal Minister for Law Zahid Hamid for dropping the oath about Khatam-e-Nabuwwat essential for candidates taking part in elections to the Parliament or provincial assemblies.

During the operation, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. However, the smoke emitting from the shells affected the residents of I-9, I-8, IJ Principal Road, Dhoke Kala Khan, Farooq-e-Azam Road, Shamasabad and other adjoining areas.

“My child Hamza fell unconscious because of polluted air and I brought him to Benazir Bhutto Hospital for treatment,” said Iftikhar Ahmed, a resident of Dhoke Kala Khan. He said that despite medication by doctors, his son was feeling difficulty in taking breath and was also feeling pain in the chest.

Altaf Hussain, another resident, said that his family had been affected badly by the smoke of tear gas shells. He said that the police action to disperse the protestors from Faizabad was a failed attempt, which further dented credibility of the sitting government.

Meanwhile, the protestors also hurled stones at nearby buildings, plazas and shopping malls on Murree Road. Most of the markets and shops remained closed near Faizabad. Some activists of the TLYR also forced traders to shut down their businesses in Raja Bazaar. The police were not present on the scene to control the situation.

Deputy Commissioner Talat Mehmood Gondal and Regional Police Officer Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja held a meeting in Rawalpindi and decided to continue operation against the protestors staging sit in at Faizabad. The RPO later visited Faizabad and reviewed the situation.

The Punjab Rangers were deputed around the residence of former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan at Faizabad. The step was taken by the district administration after protestors attacked and ransacked the residence of the PML-N stalwart. Reportedly, Rangers rescued the strained police officials inside the residence of Nisar and shifted them to hospitals for medical treatment.