Eleven people, including three policemen, were shot and taken to hospital after anti-US protests erupted into violence near an airfield being used by US forces here Sunday, police said.
A spokesman for the radical Islamic Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) party, which called the demonstation, said one of the protesters was killed but police could not confirm this.
Police spokesman Mohammad Riaz told AFP three police officers and eight protesters were taken to hospital suffering gunshot wounds when the demonstration turned violent on the outskirts of this southwestern city.
"The protesters tried to break the police picket and also fired on police," Riaz said. "In retaliation, police fired back."
Police earlier said they had arrested at least 400 Islamic radicals attempting to join the protest at an airfield which Pakistan has agreed US forces can use for support operations in its campaign against Afghanistan.
The JUI spokesman, Abdul Ghafoor, claimed more than 2,000 people had been arrested trying to enter Jacobabad, where the airfield is located.
"The police are arresting anyone with a beard," Ghafoor said.
Despite the crackdown, 4,000 militants had gathered in the city centre and were preparing to march to the airport, Ghafoor said -- Jacobabad, Pakistan, (AFP)
