KARACHI: Islamist protesters blocked roads in Pakistan's major cities for a second day on Thursday, opposing a Supreme Court decision the previous day to acquit a Christian woman on death row for blasphemy allegations, media said.
Knots of protesters from an ultra-Islamist party blocked roughly 10 key roads in the southern city of Karachi and others in eastern Lahore, Geo TV and other channels said. Private schools in both cities were shut, as well as in the capital.
Groups of about 200 protesters from the Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) party sat under large tents, listening to speeches on two blocked roads in Karachi, a Reuters witness said.
In one speech, a TLP speaker exhorted supporters to light new fires if the police managed to douse burning tyres and other objects they had already set ablaze.
The demonstrators were protesting against the court's decision to free Aasia Bibi, a mother of four, who had been living on death row since 2010, as the first woman sentenced to death by hanging under Pakistan's tough blasphemy laws.
Bibi was accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbors objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim.
But a three-judge panel set up to hear the appeal, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, ruled the evidence was insufficient.
The case has divided Pakistan, where two politicians who sought to help Bibi were assassinated, and outraged Christians worldwide, with Pope Francis saying he personally prayed for Bibi.
In a televised national broadcast late on Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan warned the protesters the government would act against any prolonged blockade.
"We will not allow any damages. We will not allow traffic to be blocked," Khan said. "I appeal to you, do not push the state to the extent that it is forced to take action."
Khan's broadcast followed comments by a senior leader of the Islamist TLP group, calling for Chief Justice Nisar and the other two judges to be killed.
"They all three deserve to be killed," TLP co-founder Muhammad Afzal Qadri told a protest in Lahore. "Either their security, their driver, or their cook should kill them."
He also called for the ouster of Khan's new government and urged army officers to rise up against powerful military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Hafiz Saeed, an influential Islamist whom the US accuses of being the mastermind of attacks in Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166, has called for protests after Friday afternoon prayers.
Another Islamist group, the Milli Yakjehti Council, is also meeting on Thursday to discuss Bibi's case and may launch protests.
The whereabouts of Bibi and her family are unclear, and speculation is growing that she will leave Pakistan with her family, who have been in hiding for much of the past eight years.
Protests continue in Pakistan on second day after Aasia Bibi's acquittal
Protests continue in Pakistan on second day after Aasia Bibi's acquittal
- Bibi was accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbors objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim
- Prime Minister Imran Khan warned the protesters the government would act against any prolonged blockade
Pakistan launches first Hong Kong Convention-certified ship recycling yard
- Hong Kong International Convention aims to improve hazardous working conditions in ship recycling facilities worldwide
- Maritime affairs minister says certification reflects Islamabad’s efforts in implementing global environmental standards
ISLAMABAD: Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry inaugurated Pakistan’s first ship recycling facility certified by the Hong Kong International Convention on Wednesday, saying the move would help Islamabad meet global benchmarks in environmentally friendly ship recycling.
Pakistan became a party to the 2009 Hong Kong Convention in December 2023, which aims to improve hazardous working conditions in ship recycling facilities worldwide. The ship recycling industry in Pakistan and globally faces pressure from calls to adopt safer and cleaner methods.
Shipbreaking is a significant industry in Pakistan, particularly in the coastal town of Gadani in southwestern Balochistan, which was once one of the world’s largest ship recycling hubs. However, business has declined in recent years as Islamabad grapples with a macroeconomic crisis.
Chaudhry inaugurated the Prime Green Recycling Yard in Gadani during a ceremony. He highlighted that the certification demonstrated Pakistan’s alignment with international maritime and environmental standards in a sector long criticized for hazardous working conditions.
“The success of the Prime Green Recycling Yard is a matter of national pride and a clear signal that Pakistan is meeting global benchmarks for environmentally friendly ship recycling,” the Maritime Affairs Ministry quoted him as saying.
“Pakistan is emerging as a responsible country in the global ship recycling industry.”
The statement highlighted that the government was working to modernize the Gadani Ship Recycling Zone, focusing on infrastructure upgrades, regulatory reforms, and improved oversight.
It added that worker safety would remain a top priority as the industry transitions to cleaner and safer methods.
Chaudhry said modernizing the ship recycling sector could create thousands of jobs and conserve foreign exchange by providing locally sourced steel and materials.
“With a responsible and sustainable approach, ship recycling can become a major contributor to economic growth,” he said.
“It will reduce dependence on imports and strengthen Pakistan’s industrial base.”
Pakistan’s maritime sector, anchored by its long coastline and strategic ports such as Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar, holds vast potential for the blue economy. However, it remains underutilized due to infrastructure gaps, policy inconsistencies, and limited shipping capacity.
