Pakistan assures diplomats' safety at 'all cost'

As a large number of people created a ruckus near Islamabad's diplomatic enclave on Thursday while staging a protest over an anti-Islam US film, the Pakistani government said it would protect foreign diplomats "at all costs".

As a large number of people created a ruckus near Islamabad's diplomatic enclave on Thursday while staging a protest over an anti-Islam US film, the Pakistani government said it would protect foreign diplomats "at all costs".

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Information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that it was the government's responsibility to protect foreign diplomats "at all costs", Geo News reported.

The Punjab government should have ensured that the protesters who came from Rawalpindi and Murree were stopped from entering Islamabad, Kaira said while appealing protesters to remain peaceful and urging political and religious parties to refrain from fuelling hate and destroying the country.

At least 36 people, including policemen, suffered injuries near the diplomatic enclave in Islamabad on Thursday and the army had to be called in to contain a massive protest being staged against a controversial anti-Islam US film.

The demonstrators clashed with the police as they tried to enter the red zone and diplomatic enclave in Islamabad.

Clashes broke out when thousands of university and college students from the neighbouring Rawalpindi city tried to force into the diplomatic enclave to register their protest at the US embassy over US film "Innocence of Muslims", reported Samma TV.