Pak: Geo TV office attack 14 officials suspended

Islamabad, Mar 17: The Pakistan Government today suspended 14 police officials for attacking offices of the country's private Geo TV channel during violent protests by pro-Islamist activists against suspension of Chief Jurist Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The suspension orders were issued after President Pervez Musharraf apologised for the attack and promised to order a judicial probe into the incident.

Protestors clashed with the police as the suspended Chief Justice appeared before the judicial commission for the second time yesterday in a presidential reference filed against him by Gen Musharraf for misconduct and misuse of authority.

Police also fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd in the areas surrounding the Supreme Court building and Parliament House after the arrest of the six-party Islamic Alliance Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Chief Qazir Hussain Ahmad.

Mr Ahmad was arrested after he tried to break the police cordon along with other MMA leaders in a bid to reach the Supreme Court building and lead processionists.

Local police officials said dozens of processionists were also detained for ''creating law and order problem'' during the day-long protests.

UNI