Minister wants more time as capital siege continues

islamabad — Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday asked for more time to end the more than two-week long siege of the capital Islamabad by some 2,000 protesters belonging to hardline religious groups who have been demanding the resignation of the country’s law minister.

The activists of Tehreek-iKhatm-i-Nabuwwat, Tehreek-i- Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY) and the Sunni Tehreek Pakistan (ST) have been blocking the Islamabad Expressway and Murree Road at Faizabad interchange that connect Islamabad with its only airport and the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

The protesters demand the resignation of law minister Zahid Hamid for changes made about Khatm-iNabuwwat or finality of prophethood oath in the Elections Act 2017 passed in September.

Iqbal was summoned by Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Siddiqui for failing to implement orders on Friday to clear the roads within 24 hours. The judge in the hearing admonished the ad-

a meeting has been summoned in afternoon (today) with all clerics of Islam’s leading schools of thought to end the crisis. I hope to find a peaceful solution in next 24-48 hours

Ahsan Iqbal, Interior minister

ministration and ordered that notices be issued to secretary interior, chief commissioner, inspector general and deputy commissioner for failing to carry out court orders.

Iqbal requested for more time to deal with the issue peacefully.

The court observed it was responsibility of the state to ensure right of common citizen and protesters were causing serious problems for students, patients and others. Later, the judge adjourned the hearing till Thursday.

Iqbal told media after the hearing that the court orders would be implemented and the protesters removed before the November 23 deadline set by the court. He said he had ordered the police to delay operation to give talks with clerics another chance to succeed. “A meeting has been summoned in afternoon (today) with all clerics of Islam’s leading schools of thought to end the crisis. I hope to find a peaceful solution in next 24-48 hours,” the interior ninister said.

The government has deployed hundreds of security personnel to take action against the protesters but has been dilly-dallying to take action due to fear of backlash from the extremists. — PTI

AP Supporters of the hardline religious parties chant slogans during the sit-in protest outside Islamabad on Monday. —

AFP Head of the Pakistani Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah party, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, gestures during the sit-in protest in Islamabad on Monday. —