pakistan is facing an extremist agitation, which is headed by a cleric named Khadim Hussain Rizvi. The agitation started with a road blockade of the capital Rawalpindi and has now spread to other parts of Pakistan. It is reported that 10 people are killed and hundreds injured. To stop the spread of news about the agitation, all Pak TV channels have been barred from reporting this news and mobile services have been suspended.

BBC has reported the Pakistan government was left with no option after the Pak police and para-military forces failed to break the roadblock.

The police were attacked by the agitators with stones and over 100 policemen were injured as well as hundreds of agitators.This group who are Islamists (extreme fundamentalists) was agitating for over two weeks and had blocked all roads to the capital leading to near anarchy in the country

Army called

The main demand of the Islamists is the resignation of the Law Minister Zahid Hamid who they say changed the rules on his own. They allege that he was instrumental in a new government order, that dropped a clause which required civil servants to say on oath that Mohammad is the last prophet.

With the agitation showing no sign of a letup, the Interior Minister has announced that the army has been called in to aid the civil authorities.

Times of India has reported the army has intervened after some 5500 police and paramilitary forces failed to disperse the agitators, who are followers of Khadim Hussain Rizvi who is a member of the Tehreek-e-Labaik party.

Agitation spreads

The agitation has now spread to other parts of Pakistan and notably, Lahore and Karachi are also facing blockades by the Islamists.

They are gaining in strength day by day and this agitation is a manifest of that. The government cancelled the executive order but it took three days and this further fueled the anger of the Islamists.

Hardliners adamant

The Tehreek-e-Labaik party is an extremist group that emerged after a guard was executed for murdering the Governor of Pakistan Punjab.The Pakistan PM, Shahid Khaqan Abbas appears unequal to the task.

He replaced the PM Nawaz Sharif in August this year, who had to resign after the Pak supreme court upheld corruption charges against him and his son-in-law and daughter.

Extremist fringe gaining

The extremist fringe in Pakistan is gaining ground and with elections due next year, it’s anybody’s call they will improve their position in the Senate. India and the USA will be observing the developing situation with interest.