Islamabad: Aasia Bibi acquittal Case Negotiations between the government and the right-wing Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan is underway as all major arteries connecting the country were blocked on Friday amid reports of vehicles being torched in between scattered reports of violence.
The TLP and other religious parties such as the JUI-F and Sunni Tehreek have reacted badly to the October 31 acquittal of Christian woman, Aasia Bibi, in an eight-year blasphemy case. The Supreme Court set her free on Wednesday.
The protests have gathered steam since then. Schools and colleges have been closed and mobile phone services were suspended in certain cities as the law-enforcement authorities attempted to stem the escalating tide of sentiment.
On Friday morning, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry negated any signs of physical action being taken against the protesters.
“These are rumors; we have not planned any operation,” the government spokesperson said in a statement. Claiming that the situation was under control, he stressed that the government was responsible for protecting the “freedom and life of the people”.
