ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: Businesses were closed and traffic remained off road in most cities and towns of the country on Friday on a strike call given by religious parties in protest against what they believe the government plans to change the blasphemy law.

The strike went ahead despite a categorical announcement on Thursday by federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah that the government was not bringing any bill to amend the law.

Markets were closed and roads deserted in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Quetta and other cities and towns.

Demonstrators said their goal was to defend the honour of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

“We will start a civil disobedience movement if the government makes any amendment to the law,” the chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council, Sahibzada Fazal Karim, said.Police said protesters near the residence of President Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi pelted stones as they shouted slogans “We'll sacrifice our lives – we'll save the sanctity of the Prophet (peace be upon him)”.

Teargas shells were fired to disperse them, witnesses said.

In Lahore, thousands of people participated in four protest demonstrations.

A large number of activists from different religious parties held three rallies in Multan during the shutter-down.

Hundreds of protesters rallied in main cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Political observers here said the religious parties' decision to go with their plan for the strike after the government's clear-cut announcement that it did not intend to repeal or change the law had more to do with politics than religion.

“We will not allow the government to bring about any change in the blasphemy law. If it tried to do so, we would send it packing,” Hafiz Hamdullah, a leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, told supporters at a rally in Quetta.

A loose alliance of over a dozen religious parties announced the general strike on Dec 15, a day after the JUI pulled out of the coalition when Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked one of its ministers.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.