ISLAMABAD: Police on Wednesday filed a case against over 6,000 protesters who had entered the federal capital’s sensitive Red Zone and tried to storm the Supreme Court earlier this week over a ruling in a blasphemy case heard by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
In February this year, hundreds of supporters of religious outfits rallied to protest against what they said were blasphemous remarks by CJ Isa in a case against a member of the minority Ahmadi community who has been accused of blasphemy for distributing Islamic literature and been in jail for 13 months. Following the protests, the Supreme Court had released a statement calling the “impression” of blasphemy by Isa “absolutely wrong” and rejecting the “vicious campaign” against him.
On Monday, angry protesters, under the banner of the religious organization, the Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz-i-Nabuwat, clashed with police after barging into Islamabad’s Red Zone, home to sensitive government buildings such as the Presidency, Prime Minister House, Parliament and the Supreme Court.
“At around 3:35 p.m. [on Monday], miscreants coming from three sides under the leadership of Qazi Abdul Rasheed started assembling at Express Chowk,” a copy of the police complaint registered by Islamabad Police and seen by Arab News said.
“They were about 5,000 to 6,000 and armed with weapons and batons,” the report said, adding that Safe City cameras would be used to identify the suspects.
The complaint said Islamabad’s administration and police officials informed protesters that rallies were the capital under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which bars gatherings of more than four people in the interest of public safety. However, the demonstrators blocked three main roads leading to the Red Zone, namely Ataturk Avenue, Jinnah Avenue, and Embassy Road, and set up a stage at Express Chowk, from where they delivered inflammatory speeches through loudspeakers, demanding the chief justice’s resignation.
The police report said authorities tried to peacefully stop protesters from marching toward the Supreme Court building but they advanced forward after attacking police officials and damaging the entry gate to the D-Chowk square as well as cameras, streetlights and police vehicles. Protesters also snatched anti-riot kits from police officials along with a 12-bore gun and beat and injured some officials.
“They continued to spread hatred and incitement, whose purpose was to spread fear and terror in the judiciary, including the higher judiciary, by interpreting religion by themselves and using religion to achieve their nefarious purposes,” the complaint said, adding that the group was stopped at the National Assembly gate from where it later dispersed.
The police report said a case had been filed against the protesters under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act and various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for charges ranging from terrorism, robbery, rioting with deadly weapons and obstructing public servants from discharging their duties.
Human rights groups say Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy laws are often misused to settle personal scores, and mere accusations have led to violence and mob justice in the past.
Pakistan’s government last month warned the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religio-political party, which had led the February protests against the chief justice, against spreading hate on the basis of religion after a TLP leader announced a reward of Rs1,00,00,000 [$345,736] for anyone who would kill the top judge.
