Pakistan: TLP supporters hold anti-govt protests, gherao interior minister's house

On the call of Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, the current chairman of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, a Chakka jam and shutter down strike is being observed throughout Pakistan.

Rawalpindi:A large number of supporters of proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protested outside Lal Haveli residence of Federal Minister for Interior, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Monday in Rawalpindi city and raised slogans against him.

On Sunday, police in Lahore launched a crackdown against TLP in which 3 people were killed and many were injured.

TLP has recently been banned by the Pakistan government after violent protests following the arrest of their chief Saad Hussain Rizvi in Lahore on April 12.

Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan is a hardline religious group with a massive following across Pakistan. The country has been paying the price for the radicalization of its society.

Read:|Banned Islamist radical party releases 11 police hostages

Addressing a press conference at Darul Amjadia late last night along with Ahle Sunnat (Barelvi sect) Ulema condemned Sheikh Rashid, police and government for the violence and firing on TLP cadres.

The situation remains grim in Pakistan, especially in Lahore city. Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been sealed after Maulana Fazlur Rehman, president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam announced that he would join TLP's proposed march towards Islamabad.

He said that there are around 50,000 Deobandi students in Islamabad and areas around and they could aggravate the situation. Coming days will be critical for the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government.

In Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), a large number of locals and lawyers also organised protests against Imran Khan's government for arresting the TLP chief and using force against TLP cadres.

A protesting lawyer said, "We are demanding that those policemen who attacked TLP cadres in Lahore should be rusticated. We are also demanding the resignation of interior minister Sheikh Rashid".

Read:|3 killed in police crackdown on banned radical Islamist party TLP in Pakistan

A woman protester said, "Innocent people were shot directly at Lahore's Yateem Khana area. Some of them were offering prayers. We oppose such an incident"

According to sources, 87 policemen have reportedly joined the TLP protest with their arms and ammunition to show their opposition against the government.

A tense situation prevailed in army headquarters (GHQ) as 73 more soldiers resigned and headed towards Lahore to avenge the death of dozens of TLP workers.

The Pakistan National Assembly offered prayers for the dead of the banned TLP. Interestingly, there was no mention of police personnel killed. Prayer was administered by Member National Assembly Mufti Abdul Shakoor.

ANI

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