Religious and political parties held protest rallies and demonstrations on Friday against the amendment in country's blasphemy law. More than 2500 people took part in the rallies. Students of religious seminaries were shouting slogans," We are ready to lay down our lives for the cause of sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). No compromise on blasphemy law, "Blasphemers be hanged publicly," blasphemy is not a discriminatory law."
"We will start a long march and observe wheel jam strike in second phase of our protest if the rulers do not withdraw the decision of amending the blasphemy law," said Qari Muhammad Hanif Jhulandari, Secretary General of Wifaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia Mufti Haidayat Ullah Pasroori said," It is honour for a Muslim to give sacrifice for the sanctity of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and we all want to be martyred for the sacred cause,"
Anjuman Fidayan-i-Mustafa took out a rally from Qadeerabad, which terminated at Press club. All religious parties of different schools of thought organised a big rally which was led by the local heads of all parties including JI, JUI-F, JUP, Tehrik-i-Insaf, PML-Q, PML-N, Traders Alliance, Markazi Jamaat Ahle-Sunnat. A complete shutter- down strike was observed all over the Southern Punjab in connection with Tahafuz-e-Namose-e-Risalat.
Shops and markets in Multan and other major cities of Southern Punjab like Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sahiwal, Rahimyarkhan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh remained closed and traffic remained thin, with public transport largely absent. As per details, in the wake of possible amendments in blasphemy law, the religious parties staged protest rallies.
About 800 ginning factories in Southern Punjab remained closed while 350 industrial units even brick-kilns also observed the strike. The rally of Anjuman Fidayan-i-Mustafa was led by Malik Yousaf, Sardar Qambar Abbas Baloch, Nasir Khan, Imran Yousaf, Yaquob Rizvi, Saqib Naqshbandi, Mufti Khurshid. This rally was attended by more than 500 faithful. Markazi Jamaat Ahle-Sunnat Pakistan organised a separate rally.