This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/25/world/asia/pakistan-protests-khadim-hussain-rizvi.html
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Protests Spread as Police and Cleric’s Supporters Clash in Pakistan | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Supporters of a firebrand cleric who have paralyzed the Pakistani capital for weeks by protesting on a main highway and thousands of police officers trying to clear them out clashed on Saturday, leaving at least one officer dead and 150 other people injured, the authorities said. | ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Supporters of a firebrand cleric who have paralyzed the Pakistani capital for weeks by protesting on a main highway and thousands of police officers trying to clear them out clashed on Saturday, leaving at least one officer dead and 150 other people injured, the authorities said. |
| Protests spread to several other cities in response to the confrontation in the capital, Islamabad, where supporters of the cleric, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who leads the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan party, have been camped at the Faizabad Interchange, blocking the main road from Rawalpindi. | Protests spread to several other cities in response to the confrontation in the capital, Islamabad, where supporters of the cleric, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who leads the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan party, have been camped at the Faizabad Interchange, blocking the main road from Rawalpindi. |
| Mr. Rizvi is demanding the resignation of Pakistan’s law minister, Zahid Hamid, over a change to electoral laws that amended the wording of an oath sworn by lawmakers. The move was quickly reversed, but his supporters had denounced the initial change as blasphemy — a highly combustible issue in Pakistan, and one that has repeatedly led to acts of violence. | Mr. Rizvi is demanding the resignation of Pakistan’s law minister, Zahid Hamid, over a change to electoral laws that amended the wording of an oath sworn by lawmakers. The move was quickly reversed, but his supporters had denounced the initial change as blasphemy — a highly combustible issue in Pakistan, and one that has repeatedly led to acts of violence. |
| The country’s electronic media regulating authority have taken all television news networks off the air in most parts of the country, and Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were also inaccessible in the country amid concerns that live coverage of the police action was inflaming religious sentiments. | |
| The violence and spreading protests present a grave challenge to the country’s governing party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. | The violence and spreading protests present a grave challenge to the country’s governing party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. |
| At least 8,000 police officers in riot gear and a separate paramilitary police force that had encircled the approximately 2,000 protesters began trying to clear the protesters staging a sit-in on the main interchange in the city early on Saturday. | At least 8,000 police officers in riot gear and a separate paramilitary police force that had encircled the approximately 2,000 protesters began trying to clear the protesters staging a sit-in on the main interchange in the city early on Saturday. |
| Using water cannons, canisters of tear gas and slings, they managed to wrest control of a large area. Dozens of tents burned. Thick plumes of smoke and tear gas could be seen from afar as protesters and police officers clashed, each side using stones and batons. | Using water cannons, canisters of tear gas and slings, they managed to wrest control of a large area. Dozens of tents burned. Thick plumes of smoke and tear gas could be seen from afar as protesters and police officers clashed, each side using stones and batons. |
| But by midday, the balance seemed to have shifted back to the protesters, who remained in control of the main part of their camp. Dozens of officers were among the injured, officials said. | But by midday, the balance seemed to have shifted back to the protesters, who remained in control of the main part of their camp. Dozens of officers were among the injured, officials said. |
| On Saturday, Mr. Rizvi rallied his supporters from atop a trailer, shouting through a microphone and accusing the authorities of working on behalf of the United States. | On Saturday, Mr. Rizvi rallied his supporters from atop a trailer, shouting through a microphone and accusing the authorities of working on behalf of the United States. |
| “Trump says change Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Are you acting on his orders?” he asked the police, adding: “Go back, go back!” | “Trump says change Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Are you acting on his orders?” he asked the police, adding: “Go back, go back!” |
| As the protesters held their ground, he grew bolder and urged his supporters to bring the whole country to a standstill. Mr. Rizvi’s speeches were broadcast on Facebook Live and helped to galvanize his supporters across the country. | As the protesters held their ground, he grew bolder and urged his supporters to bring the whole country to a standstill. Mr. Rizvi’s speeches were broadcast on Facebook Live and helped to galvanize his supporters across the country. |
| The Islamabad high court last week ordered the government to clear the interchange. But it has been reluctant to use force, fearful that violence could give more oxygen to the hard-line Islamists. | The Islamabad high court last week ordered the government to clear the interchange. But it has been reluctant to use force, fearful that violence could give more oxygen to the hard-line Islamists. |
| The government has also refused to fire Mr. Hamid, and negotiations for a peaceful end to the protests have been unsuccessful. Reversing the change in the law has failed to assuage the anger of religious leaders, especially Mr. Rizvi, who has used the controversy to expand his influence and outreach. | The government has also refused to fire Mr. Hamid, and negotiations for a peaceful end to the protests have been unsuccessful. Reversing the change in the law has failed to assuage the anger of religious leaders, especially Mr. Rizvi, who has used the controversy to expand his influence and outreach. |
| Local media outlets reported that protesters in Rawalpindi had damaged the entrance of the house of Nisar Ali Khan, a former interior minister. The authorities said that protests had closed a road that connects Islamabad to the eastern city of Lahore. Hundreds of protesters in Lahore burned tires and scuffled with the police, and there were clashes in the southern port city of Karachi, according to media reports. | Local media outlets reported that protesters in Rawalpindi had damaged the entrance of the house of Nisar Ali Khan, a former interior minister. The authorities said that protests had closed a road that connects Islamabad to the eastern city of Lahore. Hundreds of protesters in Lahore burned tires and scuffled with the police, and there were clashes in the southern port city of Karachi, according to media reports. |
| Pakistan’s politically powerful Army has urged the government to move cautiously. According to a military spokesman, the Army chief of staff, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, called Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday. | Pakistan’s politically powerful Army has urged the government to move cautiously. According to a military spokesman, the Army chief of staff, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, called Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday. |
| He urged him “to handle the protest peacefully, avoiding violence from both sides as it is not in the national interest,” the spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, said. | He urged him “to handle the protest peacefully, avoiding violence from both sides as it is not in the national interest,” the spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, said. |
| Afrasiab Khattak, a prominent politician and newspaper columnist, said in an interview THAT the protests represented a coordinated effort to topple the government. | Afrasiab Khattak, a prominent politician and newspaper columnist, said in an interview THAT the protests represented a coordinated effort to topple the government. |
| “It is not a spontaneous protest,” he said. “It is a very well-planned move by the religious right and their supporters in the state system to use the clashes in Islamabad as a detonator for riots in other parts of the country, especially Punjab Province.” | “It is not a spontaneous protest,” he said. “It is a very well-planned move by the religious right and their supporters in the state system to use the clashes in Islamabad as a detonator for riots in other parts of the country, especially Punjab Province.” |
| Punjab is the country’s most prosperous and populous province and the political power base of Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister and leader of the current governing party. Mr. Sharif resigned in July, after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding office following a corruption probe. | Punjab is the country’s most prosperous and populous province and the political power base of Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister and leader of the current governing party. Mr. Sharif resigned in July, after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding office following a corruption probe. |
| He remains popular, however, and his party has ruled out calling for early elections, a demand by opposition political parties. | He remains popular, however, and his party has ruled out calling for early elections, a demand by opposition political parties. |
| Mr. Khattak said the protesters belonged to the Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims, who had formed the bulk of Mr. Sharif’s support. “But now, the Barelvis have been pitted against Sharif’s party,” he said. “It is the endgame.” | Mr. Khattak said the protesters belonged to the Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims, who had formed the bulk of Mr. Sharif’s support. “But now, the Barelvis have been pitted against Sharif’s party,” he said. “It is the endgame.” |