Islamabad: dharna continues, cases filed

Hundreds of Pakistani supporters of Mumtaz Qadri continued their sit-in stir at D-Chowk of the federal capital for the third consecutive day on Tuesday. Police have registered cases in different police stations of the city against leaders of religious parties leading the protest, according to Geo News.

Sarwat Ijaz Qadri, Khadim Hussain, Afzal Qadri and Dr Ashraf have been charged with arson, hate speech and violation of the Loud Speaker Act.

The protesters had refused to disperse until a high level government official talks to them.  The government formed a committee to hold talks with the protesters. The committee includes Raja Zafar ul Haq, Ayaz Sadiq and Zaeem Qadri. According to a charter of demand circulating on social media, the Sunni Tehreek and other religious outfits have called for implementation of Sharia and release of prisoners. The protesters also demanded the government to declare Mumtaz Qadri as martyr and hang Asia Bibi, an accused of blasphemy. On Sunday night, the government called in the army to secure the Red Zone after the protesters clashed with the police and rangers and set fire to containers and barricades in a bid to reach D-Chowk.

Police fired tear gas at the protesters, who had gathered about 700 metres from the Parliament building in Islamabad, footage on Geo TV showed. More than 60 people, mostly police officers, were injured in the clashes on Sunday, hospital officials told Reuters. “They are all minor injuries, like being hit by stones,” said Dr Aisha Issani, spokesperson for the PIMS hospital in Islamabad.By mid-evening on Sunday, the military was called in to secure the situation. “Army has been requisitioned by the government to control the situation and secure the Red Zone,” military spokesman Gen. Asim Bajwa tweeted on his official account, referring to the area around Parliament.