Following the tragic killings of the Hazara community and the systematic cleansing of the Shias in other cities, the Shiite community blocked the main roads in the twin cites until an announcement came calling to end the protest sit-in after successful negotiations between the government and the protesters in Quetta.
Large number of protesters, including women and children, heavily participated in around a dozen protest sit-ins staged at various parts of the twin cities.
However, the protests caused severe traffic jams at various parts of the city.
Due to the protests, traffic remained minute on the roads, and low attendance was witnessed in educational institutions, government and private offices and in hospitals.
On the other hand, the number of participants kept on rising and the number of protesters multiplied as compared to the first day.
The most troubled area in the twin cities was Faizabad, the intersection of Rawalpindi and Islamabad which was blocked by the Shiite protesters.
Hundreds of youngsters were seen holding flags of various Shiite organisations and chanted slogans against terrorism and the government.
The protesters vowed to continue their protest sit-in if the government did not surrender their demands for protection and to launch targeted operations against the terrorists.
Protesters expressed their support and solidarity with the Hazara protesters who were protesting in Quetta by refusing to bury their deceased family members.
Shiite protesters also staged a protest sit-in near Benazir Bhutto International Airport.
Around mid-day, another protest camp was organised at Liaqat Bagh where people came in throngs to join the columns of protesters.
Media reports mentioned that protesters staged a protest sit-in a little away from GHQ where they demanded the Armed forces of Pakistan to take control of Quetta to protect the lives of innocent Hazara Shias.
In Islamabad, dozens of protesters entered the red-zone, and reached the Supreme Court of Pakistan at dawn, where Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was holding the Shiite and Hazara killings’ suo motu hearing.
Displaying placards inscribed with slogans against the government, terrorists and the killings, they demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan to book those behind the incidents as well as those protecting the terrorists across the country.
Hazara residents in the capital, joined by various members of the civil society, also appeared at D-chowk and staged a protest sit-in. They announced that they would not leave the spot unless the demands of the Hazaras were met.
The number of locals and government officials, after getting free from their jobs, kept on joining the protesters.
A rally turned protest sit-in was also staged in the Tarnol area of the federal capital, banning the entry and exit of vehicles into the capital through main highways.
During all the protesters, the organisers, religious clerics and members of civil society criticesed the government for its intentional ignorance on the incidents of Shiite cleansing thought out the country with special focus on the Hazara community.
Expressing their anger and concerns, they vowed to continue their struggle till indefinite time period. However, a wave of anger spread among the protesters when they received the news about the incidents of killings of individuals in Karachi and the shelling of police at a rally in Kharadar.
In the evening, when negotiations became successful, the leaders of the protest sit-ins announced to end the sittings peacefully, following which the protesters dispersed quietly.
