Pakistan protesters march on PM’s residence

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A protest has turned violent in Pakistan’s capital.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at thousands of protesters marching toward the prime minister’s official residence and the adjacent parliament building in Islamabad on Saturday.

Nearly 125 people have been injured in the clashes between police and demonstrators demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Scores of protesters, mainly women carrying hammers and iron rods, reportedly broke down a fence outside the parliament building, enabling hundreds of people to enter the lawns and parking area.

The country’s defense minister says police later managed to clear most of the protesters from the parliament building’s parking area and lawns. He says “Now only women and children are there, and they can take shelter there as long as they want.”

The protest leaders, cricket-legend-turned politician Imran Khan and an anti-government cleric had called on supporters staging a sit-in for days outside the parliament building to march on the prime minister’s residence and the legislative chamber.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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