Police baton charge blind protesters in Pakistan

LAHORE: Pakistani police in the eastern city of Lahore Wednesday baton charged dozens of blind people protesting against the government for failing to implement an official quota for government jobs.
A group of up to 70 blind men had gathered in front of the local press club around noon on the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, demanding the government uphold its two percent quota for the handicapped.
After hearing that Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain was visiting the city, they began to walk toward Governor’s House, leading to the clash with police.
Local police station chief Rafiullah said that police did not beat up protesters but had to “push” them away from a main road where a security detail had been deployed for the president’s motorcade.
“As a last resort police had to push them away from the road due to security reasons,” he said.
Afzal Mohiuddin, a 30-year-old blind man who had traveled from the city of Faisalabad for the protest, said the police used excessive force.
“Police beat us with sticks and pushed also and many of us fell on the ground,” Mohiuddin said.
“We are not demanding any favor but our right to employment,” he said.