Shah suggests seeking army's help to quell Islamabad protest

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah advised the government on Tuesday to seek the help of Pakistan army to evict defiant protesters from the Faizabad Interchange.

Speaking to the media, he said the government was constitutionally empowered to call in the military to assist civilian authorities to quell the protest of a religious or any other group.

Commenting on the bill the opposition is going to table in today’s session of the lower house, he said the opposition would make every effort to get it passed. The opposition would consider other options, if the government tried to block the bill, he warned.

The hundreds of activists and supporters of Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah have camped out at the Faizabad Interchange, which connects Rawalpindi and Islamabad, multiplying hardships of the people of the twin cities.

On Monday, the government convened a meeting of leading religious scholars belong to the various schools of thought in a bid to find a negotiated end to the protest, which has kept the capital on tenterhooks

During the marathon meeting held at the Punjab House it was decided to form a committee headed by Pir Haseenuddin Shah to propose a comprehensive solution to the sit-in.

A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted two days’ time to the administration to clear the Faizabad Interchange of the protesters.

Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah has been protesting for a fortnight, demanding action against those responsible for making the now-withdrawn amendment to the clause pertaining to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath for electoral candidates and the sacking of Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

The National Assembly on Thursday passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2017, restoring the clause about the finality of Prophet-hood to its original form.