POWER RIOTS IN FAISALABAD

FAISALABAD: A vehicle set on fire by enraged industrial workers who held massive demonstrations here on Thursday in protest against the loadshedding of gas and electricity whose duration has been increasing by the day. Baton-wielding workers ransacked public and private property, attacked vehicles and torched a bakery. They also attacked the house of a local PPP leader. Similar protests were held in Lahore and several other cities and towns in Punjab. According to APP, the Water and Power Ministry announced late in the evening that special arrangements were being made to revive a gas-based power generation plant in Faisalabad which had been shut down due to non-availability of gas. A ministry spokesman said the situation was under control. “There are eight feeders in Faisalabad area which supply power to looms and these feeders have been exempted from loadshedding since December 31. However, some miscreants intentionally exploited the situation and attacked Fesco offices,” he said.

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Violent riots in Jerusalem; officer hurt

Clashes break out between Arabs, police throughout capital. Protesters throw stones, Molotov cocktails at officers during rallies against Gaza operation
Efrat Weiss
01.02.09, 14:27 / Israel News
Hundreds of Arabs clashed with police forces Friday throughout Jerusalem after religious services concluded in the Temple Mount and the capital's mosques.

The police went on high alert Friday in light of the Israeli military operation in Gaza and concerns it could prompt violent protest among Israel's Arabs.

Some 4,500 Muslim worshippers attended the Friday prayer at the Temple Mount. Police restricted the number of people at the place and allowed only men over 50 and carrying Israeli IDs to enter the premises.

Several dozen worshippers making their way to the Nablus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem tried to stage a protest rally but were dispersed by the police. A young man was detained on suspicion he was behind the illegal rally.

Meanwhile, about 50 women rallied in the Old City against the fighting in Gaza, and several dozen Muslim women demonstrated near the Nablus Gate.

Demonstrations were held in other places in the capital as well. A few hundred people protested against the IDF operation outside the Rockefeller Museum, and some threw stones at police forces. Stones were also hurled at officers in Wadi Juz.

Two Molotov cocktails were thrown at the police station in Ras al-Amud in east Jerusalem and one officer at the place was lightly wounded by a stone thrown at him by protesters.


In a separate incident, stones were hurled at security forces near the Shoafat refugee camp in northern Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem police will stay fully deployed throughout the weekend.