Pakistan’s authorities reached an agreement on Monday with leaders of hardline religious group Tehreek-i-Labaik Yah Rasool Allah that has been demanding the resignation of the federal law minister.
The government said that Minister Zahid Hamid, who has been accused of blasphemy by the protesters, would step down in return for an end to the protests that have lasted for some three weeks and paralyzed the capital city of Islamabad.
Mr. Hamid would resign after negotiations reportedly overseen by the country’s military.
#BREAKING: #Pakistan’s DG Rangers Punjab Maj Gen Azhar Naveed caught distributing Rs1000 each to Tehreek-e-Labbaik protesters soon after deal brokered by Army/ISI between Pak Govt and Islamist fringe in Islamabad. Pakistan Army funded protest against Govt? What an embarrassment! pic.twitter.com/pYqoJJG6zi
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) November 27, 2017
The agreement between the government and the hardline group has been viewed as Islamabad’s capitulation to religious extremists.
A sad day when the state surrendered to the extremists. Now there is no stopping of those bigots.
— zahid Hussain (@hidhussain) November 27, 2017
Pakistan’s Capital Paralyzed as Hardline Religious Group Stages Protest
