Life back to normal after protests end in Pakistan
Education institutions, roads and markets reopened on Saturday across the country after the government reached an agreement with religious groups last night, an official said.
"The protest has been called off after government accepted our demands and signed an agreement with our party" Peer Muhammad Afzal Qadri, Patron in Chief of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan told reporters.
The religious groups agreed to call off the protest following government assurances of placing a travel ban on Aasia Bibi and no objection to a review petition against the verdict in the top court.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court acquitted Aasia Bibi, a christian women, who had been sentenced to death by a district court in November 2010 for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
Angry protesters, mainly the newly-emerged Sunni group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), blocked roads in the capital Islamabad, and other cities and towns, including Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Sialkot, suspending commercial and business activities and paralyzing traffic.
In a protest against the acquittal of Christian woman in a blasphemy case, thousands of people blocked roads across Pakistan on Thursday, police and local media reported.The protests cut off scores of cities and towns from capital Islamabad and provincial capitals, suspending the traffic.Angry mobs of religious activists -- mainly belonging to newly-emerged Sunni group, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) -- staged sit in on key roads in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Multan, and other major cities.The government shut down all the schools, colleges, and universities in respective cities.Video: Protest erupts after Pakistani court acquits Christian woman of blasphemyThe sit-in at the entrance route of Islamabad suspended the traffic between the capital and Rawalpindi, a garrison city in the northeastern Punjab province, which houses the headquarters of the country’s powerful army.The traffic between Islamabad and Peshawar, the capital of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province also was suspended due to the closure of motorway.The historic Grand Trunk (GT) road, which connects Lahore, the country’s second largest city and the capital of Punjab province, with several cities and towns, including Peshawar, was also blocked at several portions by the infuriated protesters.Thousands of policemen, paramilitary troops, and rangers were deployed across the country in case of any violence.Pakistani premier to pay official visit to ChinaHowever, no major damage to lives or properties was reported across the country so far.On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court acquitted Aasia Bibi who was sentenced to death by a district court in November 2010 for blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad.Bibi is likely to leave the country as her family fears for safety.Blasphemy, against Islam and Prophet Muhammad, is a criminal offense that can carry the death penalty in Pakistan. While the state has never executed anyone under the law, mere allegations have stirred mass protests and violence.
Pakistan: Acquittal of Christian woman protested
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will pay a five-day visit to the Chinese capital of Beijing on Thursday, according to the Foreign Ministry.Khan's first official visit to China after assuming office in August will happen upon the invitation of the Chinese leadership.According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry, Khan will hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang and participate in the inauguration of the first China International Import Expo being held in Shanghai.Pakistani court acquits Christian woman of blasphemy"During the visit, the two sides will review the entire range of bilateral relations which have enjoyed a long history of mutual trust and mutual support, while the two sides will also sign several agreements and MoUs (memorandum of understanding) of cooperation in diverse fields," said Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry. Khan's visit is expected to provide further impetus to enhancing the existing strategic ties between Pakistan and China and break new grounds for broadening the bilateral partnership, Faisal said.Khan's visit to China -- Pakistan's "all weather" ally -- comes ahead of an IMF official's visit to Islamabad on Nov. 7 for a formal discussion on a bailout package for the cash-strapped country.
Pakistani premier to pay official visit to China
The government also closed all education institutions across the country due to blocking of roads and violent protests.
Intermittent incidents of violence, including burning of vehicles and pelting of security troops with stones were reported in some cities on social media, however, there was no confirmation of the reported violence. News channels did not cover the protests following government orders in an attempt to cool down mounting tensions.
However, the agreement signed by government ministers and TLP leaders read that the government has assured the religious groups to released all the people who were arrested by law enforcement agencies during the violent protest in different parts of the country.
Bibi has been kept at an undisclosed location for her safety.
Her brother James Masih told local English daily Dawn that his sister had no other option but to leave the country soon. France and Spain have already offered asylum to Bibi and her family.
Making up 3 percent of a total 210 million population, Christians are one of the two largest minorities in Muslim Pakistan.
In Pakistan, blasphemy against Islam or Prophet Muhammad is a criminal offense that can carry the death penalty. While the state has never executed anyone under the law, mere allegations have stirred mass protests and violence.
Amid escalating tensions over the acquittal of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman, for blasphemy, Pakistan's powerful army on Friday said the matter was purely legal, and that the military had nothing to do with it. The rare clarification came after some religious leaders accused the army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, and the three-member Supreme Court bench that acquitted the Christian woman in the blasphemy case on Wednesday, of "orchestrating" the acquittal. Some of them even went so far as to declare the three judges "condemnable to death" and called on generals to revolt against the army chief. "Aasia Bibi's case is a purely legal matter, and it should be disposed of through legal process. Dragging the Pakistan army into every matter is deplorable," Major Gen. Asif Ghafoor, Pakistan army spokesman, said in a brief interview with state-run Pakistan Television. Galeri: Aasia Bibi protests stymie Pakistan for third day"There is no compromise on our love of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him,” Ghafoor continued. “[But] Aasia Bibi's case is a legal issue which was being heard for the last 10 years. We should allow it to be disposed of through the legal process.""Islam commands us to peace, forgiveness, and love. Law and order must be maintained in the country," he said, referring to ongoing protests -- some of them violent -- across the country against the top court's judgment. On Friday, roads remained blocked and educational institutions were shut down for a third day in a row following a call for a nationwide strike from religious parties as talks between the government and protesters faltered late Thursday. Pakistan: Talks falter, more Aasia Bibi protests loomAllama Khadim Hussain Rizvi, firebrand head of the newly emerged Sunni group Tehreek e Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), called on his followers "to get ready for martyrdom." A three-member bench of the top court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar acquitted Aasia Bibi, who had been sentenced to death by a district court in November 2010 for blaspheming Muhammad.In Pakistan, blaspheming Islam or Muhammad is a criminal offense that can carry the death penalty. While the state has never executed anyone under the law, mere allegations have stirred mass protests and violence.
Pakistan's army denies role in Aasia Bibi acquittal
China promised to support Pakistan's economy on Friday as new Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan told of his country's "very difficult" economic situation amid a burgeoning financial crisis.Pakistan's foreign reserves have plunged 42 percent since the start of the year and now stand at about $8 billion, or less than two months of import cover.Last month, Pakistan received a $6 billion rescue package from Saudi Arabia, but officials say it is not enough and the country still plans to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to avert a balance of payments crisis.It would be Pakistan's 13th rescue package from the multilateral lender since the late 1980s.Pakistan: Talks falter, more Aasia Bibi protests loomMeeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Khan said he'd come to China to learn."My party has only been in power for two months. Unfortunately we have inherited a very difficult economic situation," Khan said."Countries go in cycles. They have their high points, they have their low points. Unfortunately, our country is going through a low point at the moment with two very big deficits, a fiscal deficit and a current account deficit. And so we, as I’ve said, have come to learn."Xi told Khan that he highly valued the two country's relations, reaffirming they were "all-weather" friends.Video: Imran Khan meets China's Xi in first official visit to Beijing"I attach great importance to China-Pakistan relations and am willing to work together with the prime minister to strengthen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic partnership and build a new era of China-Pakistan destiny," Xi said.Neither man mentioned any economic aid in comments made in front of reporters.However, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, told Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a separate meeting that China would not let Pakistan down."The Chinese side will continue to provide support and help to the best of its ability for Pakistan's economic and social development and national construction," China's Foreign Ministry cited Wang as saying, without giving details.Khan will meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday, when the two countries are expected to sign a series of agreements.Though China is Pakistan's closest ally, Khan's newly elected government has sought to re-think the two countries' signature project, the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which Beijing touts as the flagship infrastructure programme in its vast Belt and Road Initiative.Pakistan has sought to amend CPEC to put greater emphasis on projects that focus on social development, rather than purely on infrastructure.After visiting Beijing, Khan is set to be a key note speaker at a major import fair in Shanghai, an event being touted by China as an opportunity to show the world the country welcomes foreign companies and their products.Khan is in China amid unrest at home over the acquittal of a Pakistani Christian woman on death row for blasphemy, which has prompted an ultra-Islamist party to block roads in protest. 
China promises Pakistan support as Khan tells of 'very difficult' economy
Religious groups are calling for nationwide strikes on Friday against the acquittal of a Christian woman on blasphemy charges as talks between the government and protesters faltered late Thursday night.Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi, firebrand head of the newly emerged Sunni group Tehreek e Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), announced the failure of talks in a late-night tweet calling on his followers "to get ready for martyrdom.""Our talks with the government have completely failed. There will be a wheel-jam strike in the country on Friday," the wheelchair-bound Hussain, who is leading a sit-in in the capital Islamabad, said in a tweet.Pakistan: Acquittal of Christian woman protestedAccording to Hussain, the government side that held talks with the protesters also included a senior official of the country's prime spy agency, Inter Services Intelligence.However, there was no official word on the failure of talks as otherwise frenzied TV coverage did not air the protests following government orders in an attempt to cool down mounting tensions.On Thursday thousands blocked roads across Pakistan to protest the Supreme Court acquittal of Aasia Bibi, who was sentenced to death by a district court in 2010 for blaspheming the Prophet Muhammad.In Pakistan, blaspheming Islam or Muhammad is a criminal offense that can carry the death penalty. While the state has never executed anyone under the law, mere allegations have stirred mass protests and violence.Video: Protest erupts after Pakistani court acquits Christian woman of blasphemy
Pakistan: Talks falter, more Aasia Bibi protests loom