After thousands block roads Thursday over blasphemy acquittal, talks with protestors falter, threatening more chaos
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.
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
According 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.
Supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) staged a protest against the court decision to overturn the conviction of Christian woman Asia Bibi, in Lahore on Wednesday.
Protest erupts after Pakistani court acquits Christian woman of blasphemy