Friday fury: blast near Lal Masjid, 12 killed

BATTLE FIELD: Protesters threw stones at armored personnel carrier and dozens of police in riot gear.

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Islamabad: Twelve people, including four policemen, were killed in a blast near the Lal Masjid in Islamabad on Friday.

While eyewitnesses said that a suicide bomber blew himself up, state-run PTV reported that a car bomb exploded killing and injuring many people.

The blast took place as police and students of Lal Masjid fought pitched battles after the mosque was reopened for Friday prayers nearly two weeks after security forces stormed the complex.

On a road outside the mosque, protesters threw stones at an armored personnel carrier and dozens of police in riot gear. After the demonstrators disregarded calls to disperse peacefully, police fired tear gas, scattering the crowd.

Earlier, security forces stood by as protesters clambered onto the roof of the mosque and daubed red paint on the walls after forcing a government-appointed cleric assigned to lead prayers to retreat.

The protesters demanded the return of the mosque's pro-Taliban former chief cleric, Abdul Aziz - who is being detained by the government - and shouted slogans against President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Later, a cleric from a seminary associated with the mosque led the prayers.

Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen ambushed the car of the government spokesman in Pakistan's restive southwestern province of Balochistan and shot him dead on Friday.

Razaq Bugti, who was also the media advisor to the Chief Minister, was gunned down while he was returning after attending a seminar, the police said.

His vehicle was reportedly ambushed by unknown gunmen. He was reportedly driving the vehicle himself.

Bugti's body was found lying in the vehicle in which he was shot, they said. It was not clear who was responsible for the killing but Balochistan has been experiencing armed revolt from Baloch nationalists and in the recent weeks a backlash from religious extremists for military crackdown against the Lal Masjid.