Tehreek-e-Labaik bulldozes state’s writ as Islamabad withstands siege

ISLAMABAD: At least 2,000 Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) protesters continued chanting against government policies on not disclosing and taking action against the parliamentarians who were behind the alleged conspiracy of change in electoral laws.

TLYR siege of Faizabad interchange spanning over weeks questions government’s writ.

They have erected over six dozen tents to save themselves from the first rain of winter. Each tent has a capacity to entertain five to six persons for rest purposes, where the protestors are taking 7 to 8-hour rest in different shifts. After the bulk of wood imported for cooking and warming purposes got wet due to rainfall on Wednesday, they have now turned to gas-cylinders to cook their food.

The protesters were fully charged against the conspirators, and time and again warned the government to fire Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid—a demand which is unacceptable to the government.

On the other hand, the residents of the twin cities continue suffering from heavy traffic chaos and un-availability of mobile phone services within the five-kilometre circle where the protesters have staged their sit-in.

Despite the fact that they’ve not been granted a no-objection certificate (NOC) and were warned by the Islamabad police and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration to face possible legal action if they tried to enter the federal capital, their siege has continued on, thereby questioning the tall claims, capability and policies of Islamabad administration.

Speculation and rumours have been rife over some hidden forces and agencies backing them, which has allowed a couple of thousand participants to block the main Faizabad Interchange on the 9^th consecutive day, leaving the citizens completely paralyzed.

Asif Shahan, a resident of Khyaban-e-Sir Syed, told Pakistan Today that it took him two hours to reach sector F-7 on Wednesday. “The government is not dealing with them properly due to which the protestors have remained unconvinced last night to shift their protest to the Parade Ground,” he added.

A day before yesterday, the participants injured five police officials by beating them with iron rods and sticks, even though over 4,000 law enforcement officials have been deployed to tackle any untoward situation.

“We’re just waiting for the orders of high-ups to start an operation against the protestors or to disperse them. As of right now, the interior ministry has not announced their policy to tackle the protesters in order to give some relief to the citizens by opening the main arteries,” said an inspector of police requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, the firebrand clerics have continued abusing the government, politicians and provoking the participants to stand still until the resignation of Zahid Hamid.

Muhammad Huzaifah, a participant of TLYR, said that their leadership does not want to shift their protest to Redzone, Parade Ground, China Chowk or elsewhere. “It [Faizabad] is the main artery and most of the citizens do not understand the cause of the rally and what the protesters stand for? Therefore, they are not supporting us, but we’re ready to lay our lives for the oath of the Finality of Prophethood,” he added. The government should disclose the conspirators behind it and punish them accordingly, otherwise, the lovers of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) are alive to put them to the task, he cautioned.

Putting light on the matter, a change in the wording of an oath for lawmakers that dealt with a declaration of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as God’s final prophet quickly set off a furore among opposition parties, especially the religious groups. They protested that the change amounted to ‘blasphemy’.

The government quickly reversed the change to the oath. It remains unclear, however, as to what prompted the alteration of the electoral oath. Although, some government officials initially claimed that the change had been the result of a “clerical error.”