ISLAMABAD: Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's founding leader, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, died in Lahore at the age of 54, confirmed one of his party spokespersons, Muhammad Ali, while talking to Arab News in Karachi.
The cause of death was not known immediately, though local media claimed he was unwell and suffering from fever for the last few days.
Rizvi's last political activity was to lead an anti-France demonstration outside Islamabad to protest the publication of caricatures disparaging Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in that country.
According to media reports, he complained of fever while he was still leading the campaign and was taken to Shaikh Zayed Hospital in Lahore on Thursday where he was pronounced dead.
His party emerged after Mumtaz Qadri, a police commando, assassinated Punjab governor, Salman Taseer, in January 2011 for defending a Pakistani Christian woman, Aasia Bibi, who was charged with blasphemy and sentenced to death.
Rizvi and his associates launched a campaign for Qadri's release since they thought he had acted to protect the honor of the prophet (pbuh).
The TLP leader and his party also held nationwide protests against Bibi's acquittal in October 2018.
Other than that, Rizvi led protests against a Dutch politician, Geert Wilders, who announced an anti-Islam cartoon competition.
A controversial preacher who used strong language to revile his critics, Rizvi was accused of weaponizing the issue of blasphemy in a country where religious sensitivities usually run high.
His recent demonstration forced the government to consider the possibility of expelling the French ambassador after taking up the issue in parliament.
Founder of hardline Pakistani Islamist party dies after leading sit-in
https://arab.news/wz2z5
Founder of hardline Pakistani Islamist party dies after leading sit-in
- Rizvi recently led an anti-France demonstration outside Islamabad, asking the government to expel the French ambassador
- The TLP leader shot to fame after running a campaign for Mumtaz Qadri's release who assassinated a sitting Punjab governor in 2011
China’s mediation eases fighting between Pakistan, Afghanistan — sources
- China’s envoy shuttles between Pakistan and Afghanistan to mediate in conflict
- Gulf countries that mediated in the past embroiled in Middle East conflict
ISLAMABAD/BEIJING: Chinese mediation efforts, including a message from President Xi Jinping, have helped ease the worst fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, three Pakistani government officials said.
The officials said a meeting between the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif late last month included a message from Xi to cease hostilities.
Neither side has reported any Pakistani air strikes on Afghanistan in recent days and ground fighting along the 2,600-km (1,600-mile) border has tapered off, although daily clashes continue to be reported.
China has said it is in contact with both countries about ending hostilities but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesman for Sharif who has previously said there would not be any talks with the Taliban, did not respond to questions about Beijing’s efforts.
Pakistani security officials have said the military campaign will continue until desired goals were achieved, which was to prevent militant attacks in Pakistan launched from Afghan soil.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry and military did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Islamabad launched air strikes on Afghanistan on February 26, saying the Taliban were providing a safe haven to militants carrying out attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies the charge and says militancy in Pakistan is an internal problem.
The Chinese efforts came as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, who hosted talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan during previous clashes in October, have been embroiled in the war in the Middle East following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
“China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs is currently shuttling between the two countries to mediate, while Chinese embassies in both nations maintain close communication with the respective parties,” the Chinese foreign ministry told Reuters in an email.
“The most urgent task is to prevent the fighting from expanding and for the two countries to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”
The foreign ministry added that Foreign Minister Wang Yi held telephone talks with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday to discuss the conflict.
China’s ambassador to Kabul, Zhao Xing, and the special envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi this week, the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have said they inflicted heavy damage on the other in the conflict and killed hundreds of opposition troops, without providing evidence. Reuters has not been able to verify the reports.
Beijing, a longtime Pakistani ally, has invested heavily in mines and minerals in both nations.
The investments include over $65 billion in road, rail and other development projects in Pakistan, part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative to expand land and sea trade routes to Europe and Africa.
