Ex-Premier Bhutto Claims Attack by Police

Police attacked former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and other opposition leaders while breaking up an anti-government rally with tear gas Saturday, she said.

Bhutto showed her blood-splattered clothes to reporters at a news conference, saying police targeted her and her colleagues intentionally and injured several people.

“This is not my blood but the blood of the people who were wounded while trying to save me. I’ll keep it and use it as an evidence [in the court] against this regime,” she told reporters.

There was no immediate comment from the government.

About 3,000 people chanting anti-government slogans protested government intimidation against the newspaper group that owns Pakistan’s largest-circulation Urdu-language paper, the Jang.

The owner, Shakil-ur Rehman, says his group is being harassed because of stories alleging corrupt practices by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his family and colleagues.

Bhutto, who was twice dismissed from power on corruption charges, vowed to charge Sharif with attempted murder in connection with injuries suffered by her party loyalists.

As protesters arrived at the parliament buildings in Islamabad, the capital, hundreds of police officers in riot gear began firing tear gas, according to witnesses.

“There was a barrage of tear gas shells and bricks coming toward Bhutto’s vehicle,” said Omar Abbasi, 27, a member of Bhutto’s party.

The government has charged the Jang group of newspapers with massive tax evasion. The government also froze its bank accounts and confiscated newsprint, forcing the group to slash the number of pages in its leading newspapers.