Pakistan Government Calls for Military Intervention to Tackle Protesters

The Pakistani government on Saturday requested the army to intervene to confront the Islamist sit-in in Islamabad. Latest reports indicate that six people have been killed. According to Reuters, clashes between police and activists of the 'Tehreek-e-Labbaik' party have resulted in dozens of injuries, including many police officers. German news agency reports, citing hospital sources, indicate that at least six people have died and 200 have been injured in these clashes. As night fell, protests spread to other major cities. Demonstrations were also held in Faizabad near Islamabad, where protesters faced off against police forces. The Pakistani government has banned private television networks from broadcasting programs. Supporters of the newly established and radical 'Tehreek-e-Labbaik' have blocked main roads to the capital for the past two weeks. This party has accused Pakistan's law minister of insulting Islamic sanctities and is demanding his removal and arrest. Ejaz Ashrafi, the party's spokesperson, stated, 'We are thousands. We will not leave here and will fight until the end.' In recent months, two radical Islamic parties, one of which is 'Tehreek-e-Labbaik', have emerged in Pakistan's political scene and are expected to play a significant role in next summer's elections. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Interior Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, called on the army on Saturday night to act in accordance with the constitution to restore order. The Interior Minister stated that the current protests are a 'conspiracy' to weaken the government of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. After the ousting of Nawaz Sharif on corruption charges by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a party member of Nawaz Sharif, took over the premiership. The Interior Minister said, 'Efforts have been made to create chaos in the country. I must say that unfortunately, a political party that conveys its message to the people based on a very sacred belief has been (mis)used in this conspiracy to engulf the country in chaos.' However, the Interior Minister did not refer to the forces behind the 'conspiracy'. The commander of the Pakistani army on Saturday urged the government to end the protests while emphasizing that 'both sides should refrain from violence.' Meanwhile, opposition leader Imran Khan accused the government of failing to perform its duties and called for early elections. According to police, clashes in Islamabad began after 4,000 police forces were dispatched to disperse about a thousand protesters. The protesters have disrupted daily life in Islamabad and ignored a court order to open roads and leave the area. The Tehreek-e-Labbaik party has attacked Law Minister Zahid Hamid for changes to the election law. Previously, the election law included the phrase 'I swear' that Muhammad is the last messenger of God, which has been changed to 'I believe...'. However, the government has reverted this phrase to its original form, yet protests continue. Reuters reports that the Tehreek-e-Labbaik party was founded by supporters of Mumtaz Qadri, the bodyguard of the Punjab governor, who shot his boss in 2011. The Punjab governor had called for reforms in laws related to blasphemy. Last month, this party achieved an unexpected result in the Peshawar by-elections, garnering 7.6% of the votes.