After the arrest of Saad Rizvi, demonstrations took place in Karachi, Lahore, the outskirts of the capital Islamabad and other cities of Pakistan on Monday evening.
Demonstration in Pakistan (AFP)
Demonstrations have begun in major cities of the country following the arrest of Saad Rizvi, the leader of an extremist Islamic political party in Pakistan. The day before his arrest, Rizvi, the leader of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), threatened the government. It said that if the French ambassador (France Envoy) was not removed from the country on the issue of making cartoons of Prophet Mohammed, demonstrations would be held against it. TLP has a history of performing in Ishaninda’s case.
After Rizvi’s arrest, demonstrations took place in Karachi, Lahore, the outskirts of the capital Islamabad and other cities of Pakistan on Monday evening. After this, the police had to close many major highways. According to local media reports, clashes between police and protesters were witnessed in many cities including Lahore. TLP said that Rizvi was arrested from Lahore on Monday. However, it is not yet clear in which case he has been arrested.
TLP infuriated by Emanuel Macron’s statement
In November, the TLP held demonstrations on several major highways in Islamabad and closed the roads. In fact, French President Emmanuel Macron supported teacher Samuel Patty, who was killed at the hands of an Islamic extremist. While taking a class of freedom of expression, Patty showed children a cartoon of Prophet Mohammed. On which a fundamentalist erupted and killed Patty mercilessly. On the other hand, the TLP erupted over Macron’s support of Patty and called the French President’s statement Islamophobic.
Demand to remove French ambassador from the country before 20 April
Lahore Police Chief Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said that Rizvi has been arrested for maintaining law and order. Rizvi said that the government had committed that the French ambassador would be expelled before April 20 on the issue of publishing pictures of the Prophet in France. The government says that it only committed to discuss this issue in Parliament. Dogar did not give much information about the arrest. Rizvi’s supporters protested this action and demonstrated in front of the party office.
TLP demanded boycott of French goods
Saad Rizvi became the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party after the sudden demise of Rizvi’s father Khadim Hussain Rizvi. Rizvi’s supporters have been pressurizing the government not to repeal the blasphemy law of the country. The party wants the government to boycott French goods and bring the French ambassador out of the country under an agreement signed with Rizvi’s party in February.
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