Pakistan Charlie Hebdo
People hold signs as they chant slogans during a protest against satirical French weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which featured a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad as the cover of its first edition since an attack by Islamist gunmen, in Lahore January 15, 2015.Reuters

Protests against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo turned violent in Pakistan as protesters clashed with the police on Friday.

The protest, organised by Islami Jamiat Talaba's Karachi wing, saw hundreds of people turn up to voice their anger against the cartoon of Prophet Mohammed on the cover of the new Charlie Hebdo edition that was released on Wednesday.

The police resorted to aerial firing, tear gas and water cannons to control the mob, which sought to protest outside the French Consulate building in Karachi, DAWN reported.

Several religious groups joined the protests on Friday, which they tagged as a 'black day' against the magazine.

Protests on Thursday were also vehement, with Pakistani legislators demanding the death sentence for the staff of the French weekly.

Almost 300 people protested in Lahore on Thursday with banners that read - "Making blasphemy cartoon of the Prophet is the worst act of terrorism. The sketch-makers must be hanged immediately." (in picture). 

Earlier, a Pakistani cleric had held a funeral service for the two brothers who attacked Charlie Hebdo and killed its editor and cartoonists last week.

The new edition of Charlie Hebdo features a caricature of the Prophet seen weeping and holding a sign "Je Suis Charlie" on the cover, which sparked strong reactions from across the world. 

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