Karwan-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat rally on Thursday announced to stage a sit-in on Jinnah Avenue of the federal capital while presenting its six demands to the government. Speaking to media persons, Dr Asif Ashraf Jilani, one of the leaders of the rally, said they would continue their Dharna until their all demands were met.
Listing his demands, he said those who omitted Khatam-e-Nabuwat declaration in Election Bill 2017 should be punished, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah should be removed from his position and a case be registered against him and Asia Bibi, an accused of blasphemy, should be executed.
Jalali also demanded the government to keep an eye on illegal activities of Ahmadis, saying Pakistan should sever its diplomatic relations with Myanmar till resolution of Rohingyas issue and ban on use of loudspeakers in mosques should be abolished.
He said protestors did not want to use religion for any political purposes, but the government was doing so. He also promised not to violate any law or Constitution during the sit-in and urged the followers to remain peaceful. Referring to Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Jalali said he should refrain from badmouthing against religious clerics.
Meanwhile, the city police sealed majority of the routes leading to heavily guarded red zone of federal capital to protect Diplomatic Enclave and other sensitive installations during the protest. Karwan-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat rally organised by Sunni Tehreek started from Lahore to protest against the changes made in the Khatam-e-Nabuwat declaration form of election candidates.
The rally is being led by various religious scholars including Dr Asif Ashraf Jalali, Allama Muhammad Shahdab Qadri, Peer Syed Naveed-ul-Hasan and Allam Ameen Ullah. The high-ups of Islamabad administration approached the organizers of rally and informed them about imposition of section 144 in the capital and that they will not be allowed the entry into the Red Zone.
But on insistence of the protesters, the administration allowed the protesters to set up their protest camp on Jinnah Avenue near China Chowk in Blue Area. The police have sealed the Red Zone with shipping containers and put barbed wires on sensitive installations in the area. Heavy contingent of police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary have been deployed in the Red Zone as well as in various other parts of the city.
Over 3,000 personal from Punjab and AJK police have been called in the capital in view of assisting city police in maintaining the law and order over here. The district administration has put all hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on high alert to deal with any untoward situation. Due to blockage of different roads, heavy traffic jams were witnessed on different roads in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, especially Islamabad Expressway and motorists had to face problems.