Overseas Tribune Exclusive,
Thousands of protesters of Tehreek e Labaik Ya Rasool Allah have effectively blocked the Islamabad Highway from Faizabad Interchange. Due this blockage daily life of millions of people in twin cities has affected.
Long march was started from Data Darbar Lahore, initially there were a few hundred members of Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah. By Friday afternoon, the population of the protesters rised to over 3,000, disrupting public life and prompting police to set up shipping containers on the through way to prevent the protesters from entering the city.
Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who is heading this protest, has clearly demanded for the removal of federal law minister Zahid Hamid, although Zahid Hamid has apologized and said the omission of the reference how Muhammad is the last prophet in Islam was a clerical mistake that was later corrected by the parliament.
But demonstrators claim Zahid made the omission purposefully to appease the minority Ahmadis sect.
Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi further said, “We will not allow anyone to change Islamic laws,” he said, as people chanted: “We will die to protect the honor of the Prophet.”
The citizens of twin cities, are totally in trouble due to blockage of the Islamabad Expressway from Faizabad interchange. An infant died on Thursday on the way to hospital. However, the parents of that child, filed an FIR and named Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi on their child’s unintentional murder.
The government officials has said, they want peaceful solution of this problem. We are in communication with Tehreek e Labaik Ya Rasool Allah leadership.
However, Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has denied to accept Tehreek e Labaik Ya Rasool Allah demands.
“There is a small group of certain demonstrators who are sitting on one road. We are trying to talk to them through dialogue to persuade them that this is an illegal action to make a sit-down on the road because there is a restriction on such an assembly under the law. However, if they indulge in any violent activity the law will take its course,” Iqbal said.
Public transport is badly affected in twin cities. Metro bus is nonoperational due to rally, as it has to pass by Faizabad and thousands of protesters are at Faizabad. However, Islamabad Police launched a diversion plan, but those routes are not capable to handle huge amount of traffic.
Capital city administration has deployed thousands of FC and other commandos in red zones with containers to prevent entrance of protesters in red zone.
On Friday, Tehreek e Labaik Ya Rasool Allah activists protested in other cities of Pakistan.
There could be use of force against protestors of TLYR in Islamabad, but it is not confirmed yet.
