Rangers, FC contingents mount in Red Zone as IHC's deadline to protesters expires

Dunya News

Residents of Faizabad and Sector I-8 have been ordered to stay in houses

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Ultimatum of Islamabad High Court (IHC) given to protesters in the federal capital belonging to Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah and Sunni Tehreek has expired at 10:00pm on Friday and contingents of Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) have been doubled in number.

Reportedly, administration has ordered police to remain on high-alert and some of the entry points of Islamabad have been blocked using containers.

Residents of Faizabad and Sector I-8 have been ordered to stay in houses and avoid inter-city movement.

Rawalpindi administration has convened a meeting with 17-member committee of the protesting body and has vowed to invariably remain open to possibility of resolution through talks.

The administration has also offered to provide an alternate place to record their peaceful protest. Reportedly, caretakers of several seminaries and shrines have also been taken in confidence over the development.

Protesters who camped in the outskirts of the federal capital in late October have demanded law minister Zahid Hamid to step down following a ‘clerical mistake’ in amendments brought in Elections Act 2017 earlier this year.

In the new form-A, the words “I solemnly swear” have been replaced with “I believe” and the clause relating to Khatm-i-Naboowat has not been made applicable to non-Muslim candidates.