Protestors disperse, life returns to normalcy in Karachi
The TLYR workers have started to wind up their things and vacated the streets.
KARACHI (Dunya News) – Following the directives of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah’s (TLYR) Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the protesters in Pakistan’s biggest city Karachi have ended their sit-in.
The TLYR workers have started to wind up their things and vacated the streets after Law Minister Zahid Hamid tendered his resignation on Sunday.
On the assurance of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, we are calling off the sit-in," Khadim Hussain Rizvi told the crowd of around 2,500 demonstrators, who have occupied a main highway leading into the capital.
He further said, "We have given a 12-hour deadline to the government to release all the arrested workers and meanwhile, we are winding up the things to call-off the protest."
Roughly 2,000 protesters from the Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan group blocked the main highway used by thousands of commuters since November 6, causing hours-long traffic jams in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The federal government initiated talks with the protesters on several occasions during the last two weeks, but all went in vain. The protesters continuously demanded the resignation from Law Minister Zahid Hamid over the alleged exclusion of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat clause from the nomination papers to which he denies.
On Saturday, nearly three weeks after the protests began, around 8,500 armed security personnel finally confronted the protesters, during which at least six people and injuring dozens.
They were met with stubborn resistance, with police and protesters hurling rocks and demonstrators blocking more roads and setting vehicles alight, while calling for reinforcements.
Both the parliament houses had restored the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat clause in the nomination papers in its original form through the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2017.
