Pir Sialvi calls off anti-govt protest after Shehbaz meets him

SARGODHA: Spiritual leader Pir Hameeduddin Sialvi on Thursday called off his anti-government protest on the request of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a joint press conference alongside Pir Sialvi here, Shehbaz Sharif said that a committee has been constituted to resolve the issues and address the grievances of Sialvi.

Pir Sialvi has been spearheading a campaign against Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah for passing ‘controversial’ remarks about the Ahmadi community with regard to the issue of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (finality of the Prophet-hood).

“Sialvi Sahab has called off a protest call on my request,” Shehbaz announced while addressing a press conference here.

He said the political opponents made all-out efforts to widen the differences between estranged party leader Pir Sialvi and the government.

“Our amicable relations with Pir Sialvi will remain intact,” Shehbaz said on the occasion.

The Punjab chief minister was visiting the spiritual leader in Sargodha, who had previously been demanding the resignation of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah over his controversial remarks.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had suffered a major blow on Dec 10, after five lawmakers, three MPAs and two MNAs submitted their resignations to Pir Sialvi. The resignations were announced during Khatm-e-Nabuwwat conference at Dhobi Ghat ground in Faisalabad.

In his brief address to participants of the conference, Pir Sialvi said he was not a political person and the agenda of calling this conference solely revolved around finality of prophet-hood (Khatm-e-Nabuwwat).

“As firm believers of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat, we [are] gathered here with no intention to solicit support for elections or a political agenda,” Sialvi said.

He said the country was achieved in the name of Islam but the ‘Law of Sharia’ (Nizam-e-Mustafa) has been set aside.