UPDATE - Pakistan’s law minister resigns to end capital’s siege

EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Aamir Latif and Islamuddin Sajid

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan’s federal law minister stepped down early Monday, hoping to end a three-week long siege of the capital Islamabad, a prime ministry official confirmed to Anadolu Agency.

Zahid Hamid has been under immense pressure after religious and political parties held him responsible for changes to an election law on the Prophet Mohammad, changes reversed earlier this month amid nationwide protests.

"I have resigned voluntarily to pull the country out of crisis," he was quoted as saying by local media.

Religious groups accused the ruling Pakistani Muslim League (Nawaz) party, and Hamid in particular, of deliberately modifying the clause to favor a minority sect, and demanded his resignation.

The government blamed the changes on a “clerical error.”

Under the restored clause, voters registering for general elections must declare that they believe Mohammad was the final prophet, or their names will be put on a separate list for Ahmedis/Qadianis -- a minority sect parliament declared non-Muslim in 1974.

Following police action on Saturday which killed seven people and injured hundreds, Khadim Hussein Rizvi, a protest leader, demanded the resignation of the entire cabinet, including Hamid.

- Protesters pack up

Following resignation of the law minister, footage aired on local Geo TV showed protesters packing up and preparing to leave the venue after the three-week sit-in. However, the protest leaders are expected to formally announce the end of the siege at a press conference soon.

According to the agreement, Geo TV reported, the government will make a report to a Senate committee in a month to expose and act against the controversial amendment. Also, an investigation committee will be formed to look into the circumstances that led to violence, loss of lives and property.

Hundreds of protesters arrested from Islamabad and rest of the country, will also be released.

The protest leaders, according to the agreement, will not issue any religious decree against the law minister.

The much-anticipated development came after the government Sunday assigned paramilitary rangers to “handle” the protesters after the country’s powerful army chief advised it not to deploy soldiers, according to the Interior Ministry.

The ministry, through a notification, appointed Maj. Gen. Azhar Naveed Hayat, head of the rangers in the northeastern Punjab province, to lead the operation to “handle” and “clear” the sit-in, which has virtually cut off the capital from rest of the country since early November.

Quoting unnamed government officials, local Dunya TV reported that the rangers head had been assigned the task to “negotiate” with the protesters, and clear the sit-in organized by Tehrik Labbaik Ya Rasoolallah (Movement to serve Prophet of Allah) -- a newly formed group which represents the Sunni-Barelvi school of thought.

- Media blockade ends

Violent protests and clashes, which saw the torching of vehicles and property, led the government to call in the army to secure the capital on Saturday.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired meetings with top government officials, including the army chief, to review the aftermath of the Saturday crackdown.

Most participants, who included cabinet members, reportedly advised the premier to avoid the use of force as it could trigger more violence.

During the meeting, army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa advised Abbasi to avoid the use of force and to restore news channels, an army official told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity, due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Minutes after his meeting, a two-day clampdown on news channels was lifted across the country. Social media websites were also restored.