By Aamir Latif
ISLAMABAD
Pakistani anti-government protests have claimed to have reached the entrance of the prime minister's residence on Monday.
One of the protest leaders, preacher Tahir-ul-Qadri has claimed that some of his supporters are now in control of the entrance to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's house. The army had earlier warned the protesters not to advance on the prime minister's house.
The army has been called to the offices of state television channel PTV, after protesters raided it, an unnamed government spokesperson said in a televised address on PTV.
Earlier Monday, the protesters occupied a building that houses government ministries, using rocks to repulse a police attempt to disperse them with teargas and batons.
Some 800 to 1000 protesters charged at the police, helped by heavy rains that defused the teargas shells.
The army are guarding parliament; the prime minister's residence and other state buildings, warning protesters not to advance any further.
The soldiers did not intervene as some protesters set vehicles on fire and targeted police with petrol bombs and stones, injuring the city's police chief in the process.
Hospital sources confirmed that 20 injured were brought to hospitals on Monday morning, including five policemen.
For two weeks protesters led by cricketer turned politician Imran Khan have demanded Sharif's resignation but the demonstrations took a violent turn over the weekend, after protesters attempted to reach Sharif's house on Saturday night.
The army warned the Prime Minister and opposition to urgently negotiate a solution to the crisis, which reportedly led to the deaths of three protesters over the weekend and has sparked concern that Pakistan may be headed towards military intervention.
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