ISLAMABAD: Contrary to fears and apprehensions of the local authorities, protest rallies organised by religious parties and groups against the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri fizzled out on Friday.

To ensure foolproof security, three of the four roads towards the Red Zone in the city were sealed by placing containers and only the Margalla Road was open for traffic.

The main protest in the federal capital was held at Aabpara Chowk which was organised by Namoos-i-Risalat committee, consisting of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Jamaat Ahle Sunnat (Barelvi), JUI-F, Aalmi Majlis Tahafuz Khatam-i-Nabuwat, Ansarul Ummah of former militant commander Fazlur Rehman Khalil and other smaller groups belonging to both the Barelvi and Deobandi sects.

Incidentally, the proscribed group, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (formerly Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan), which has traditionally been a diehard opponent of the Barelvis also participated in the rally.

Participants say PML-N govt hurt sentiments of Muslims across the country

While the rally was organised by over a dozen groups and parties, the number of participants was limited to around 300 who too, by their appearances, looked like seminary students, clerics or religious workers.

But business remained as usual in the Aabpara market except for inconvenience faced by customers as roads leading to Aabpara Chowk were closed.

Addressing the rally, JI deputy chief Mian Aslam criticised the government for hanging Mumtaz Qadri and said instead of deploring the person who committed blasphemy the government punished the person who displayed the highest standards of affection with the holy prophet (PBUH).

Maulana Abdul Majeed Hazarvi of the JUI-F said the Muslims of Pakistan would never vote for the PML-N in future.

“This party has hurt the sentiments of the Muslims only to please the West,” he added.

A protest rally was organised at Islamabad Expressway at Faizabad, which originated from Kuri Road, and was joined by another rally from I-8 Markaz. As a result, the expressway remained closed for hours after Friday prayers from Kuri Road to Faizabad.

Religious parties also held protest demonstrations in Rawalpindi. A PTI leader announced to leave his party in one of the rallies and participants of another demonstration vowed never to vote for the PML-N again.

The rallies held in Chur Chowk, Peshawar Road, Sadiqabad, Dhamial Road and Dhoke Ratta joined together at Committee Chowk on Murree Road and proceeded towards Bhara Kahu.

Workers and supporters of JI, Sunni Tehreek and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat participated in the rallies. At the JI’s rally in Sadiqabad, a local leader of the PTI, Mubashir Abbasi, announced his decision to quit the party which he said was wrongly supporting the ruling party on the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri.

At the same protest, JI district emir Shamsur Rehman Swati said if all religious parties got united, they would be able to stop any changes to the Blasphemy Act.

“Those who want changes in the [blasphemy] law are dancing to the tunes of the international community and of the anti-Islam mafia across the world,” he said.

At the rally in Chur Chowk, participants vowed to not vote for PML-N again. Religious leaders including Mufti Liaquat Ali Rizvi, Dr Tayyab Raza, Allama Attaur Rehman, Qari Rizwan and Allama Waseem took oath from the participants of the rally that they would not vote for the ruling party again.

Speakers at the protest warned the government not to impose the West’s agenda in the country. Otherwise, they threatened, the people would drive PML-N out of Punjab and even from other parts of the country.

Some of the speakers said people would not tolerate anti-Islam policies and that a change in the country was inevitable.

Other speakers warned that the day the government attempted to send Asia Massih, who was accused of blasphemy, out of the country would prove to be the last day PML-N would be in power.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2016