Pakistani's Riot In The Thousands
Islamist demonstrations trigger one of biggest challenges to civilian rule in years
Pakistan’s army chief has urged the prime minister to “find a peaceful end” to protests by Islamists that have spread beyond Islamabad and unleashed one of the biggest challenges to civilian rule in years. Army chief general Qamar Javed Bajwa met prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday. “General Bajwa made it clear that using force will only aggravate this problem,” a senior government official told the FT after the two men met. At least five people including one police officer were killed and as many as 200 demonstrators were injured at the weekend in pitched battles when riot policemen fired tear gas shells while protesters threw back stones and bricks. The protests have widened to parts of the populous Punjab province and the southern port city of Karachi, prompting Mr Abbasi’s government to call in the army.
On Sunday, army troops arrived to take charge of Islamabad’s diplomatic areas and key government buildings. There were also reports of disruptions to traffic along major transport links with the city, threatening food and fuel supplies to the capital. The protests began after a reference to the prophet Mohamed was omitted from a constitutional bill in parliament. The government said the omission — subsequently corrected — was a clerical mistake. Islamists claimed it was a conspiracy against Islamic values. The Pakistani government on Sunday night lifted a two-day ban on local TV channels upon Gen Bajwa’s advice. However, bans on social media services such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube remained in place.
People are like stained - glass windows. .
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