ISLAMABAD: Clashes between police and protesting employees of Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL)on Wednesday leftdozensfrombothsidesinjured, police and eyewitness said.

The employees of the OGDCL were trying to reach Parliament House to record their protest against the privatisation of the company.

The police, however, succeeded in arresting 25 employees.

About 400 worl
They were led by the union`s President Chaudhry Mohammad Akram and the CDA union president, Chaudhry Yasin.

When they reached Nadra Chowk, the police intercepted them, which was resisted by them as they were demanding access to the Parliament House.

However, senior officers of police and capital administration somehow succeeded in restricting the protesters to the Chowk.

In the meantime, MNA Jamshed Dasti reached there and started inciting the protesters to move towards Parliament House, the police and eyewitnesses said.

But the union leaders informedhim that they had promised the police that they would not move any further from here.

But the MNA continued inciting the protesters. The city SP and assistant commissioner then asked him not to take law in his hand, they said, adding but he ignored their requests and section 144, already enforced there, and asked the protesters to follow him.

As the MNA was leading the protesters, the police and administration retreated. When they (protesters) reached Radio Pakistan Chowk they all of a sudden started pelting policemen with stones.

As a result, SP city Rizwan Gondal, DSP City Ashraf Shah, SHO Kohsar, along with dozen other policemen were injured.

Later, the police restored to baton charge at the protesters which led to a physical fight between them.

The police also used teargas shells to disperse the protesters.

The arrested persons were shifted to Kohsar and Secretariat police stations where separate cases were registered against them.

A case was also registered against MNA Jamshed Dasti and the leadership of OGDCL union in Secretariat police station . Staff Reporter