ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday gave Pro-Qadri protestors 24 hours deadline to clear the Red Zone.
Thousands of supporters of martyr Mumtaz Qadri are staging a sit-in outside parliament. It comes a day after clashes broke out at a rally in support of Qadri, who was martyred last month over killing of Salman Taseer for committing blasphemy.
The demonstration that started early Sunday evening is still underway. The protesters led by Sunni Tehreek (ST) and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool (SAW) leadership had arrived in the capital on Sunday to attend Qadri’s chehlum presented a charter of demand before the government and announced to stay in the Red Zone unless the government accepts these demands, which include implementation of Shariah in the country and declaring Mumtaz Qadri a martyr.
The set of 10 demands issued under the banner of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool (SAW), include the unconditional release of all Sunni clerics and leaders booked on various charges, including terrorism and murder; the recognition of Mumtaz Qadri as a martyr and the conversion of his Adiala Jail cell into a national heritage site; assurances that the blasphemy laws will not be amended; and the removal of Ahmadis and other non-Muslims who had occupied key posts.
Supporters of the religious parties chant slogans during a sit-in protest near the parliament building in Islamabad.
