Protests reach third day in Pakistan
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.
People continue to protest against Pakistani Supreme Court's decision to acquit Christian woman Aasia Bibi of blasphemy against Islam and Prophet Muhammad as demonstrations reach the third day at the D-Chowk region in Islamabad, Pakistan. Aasia Bibi, was sentenced to death by a district court in 2010 for blaspheming the Prophet Muhammad before Supreme Court's acquittal. Police removed containers with cranes on protesters' demand to march towards the constitutional court.Aasia Bibi protests stymie Pakistan for third day
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"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.
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
Allama 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.