Karwan-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat sit-in: deadlock between admin, protesters continues

Deadlock between Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and protesters of Karwan-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat sit-it remained on Saturday. Sit-in organized here on Jinnah Avenue, persisted on the third consecutive day, creating problems for commuters. The Karwan-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat rally which started from Lahore and reached Islamabad on October 26, but the city administration has so far failed in convincing the participants to end the sit-in.
The rally is leg by Dr Asif Ashraf Jalali. The purpose behind taking out the rally is to protest against the changes made in Khatam-e-Nabuwat declaration on electoral form of the candidates and pressurize the government for taking action against the people involved. Sources said that senior officials of district administration and a representative delegation of the protesters held negotiations. The administration assured the rally representatives of resolving their grievances, but could not convince them to call off the sit-in.
They said that the administration also offered protesters if they leave the protest site peacefully, police would not arrest them. Later in the evening, police high-ups ordered their personnel to move towards protest site for compelling the protesters to disperse on their own. In wake of advancement of police, the vehicle drivers who brought the protesters left the venue.
The protesters on the third consecutive day remained stuck to their demands including; action against those who omitted Khatam-e-Nabuwat declaration in Election Bill 2017; removal of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah from his position, and execution of blasphemy accused Asia Bibi. They also demanded the government to keep an eye on illegal activities of Ahmadis; sever its diplomatic relations with Myanmar till resolution of Rohingya Muslims' issue; and abolish a ban on the use of loudspeakers in mosques. While speaking on the occasion, Jalali said that they would continue their protest till acceptance of their demands.
He claimed that representatives of sit-it held three rounds of talks with the ministers including Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, so far the ministers have not understood their demands, he added. He claimed that the district administration and police have arrested dozens of their workers from the site of protest and have also blocked the supply of food and water. If police take any brutal action or resort to baton-charge, the people will take to streets across the country against the government, he declared.