Armed forces deployed in Pakistani cities to confront protesters over Christian woman's "blasphemy"
The decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to release a Christian woman who was imprisoned on charges of "blasphemy" against Islam has angered and protested the country's Islamists, forcing the government to deploy armed forces to confront the protesters.
According to Reuters, thousands of protesters, mostly affiliated with an Islamist party called Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasoolullah, have blocked roads and looted government property in Islamabad and other major cities.
Pakistani security forces have also now cordoned off the country's parliament and judicial buildings to prevent attacks by protesters.
Protesters supporting the Tehreek-e-Labbaik party also threw stones at police in Lahore and demanded the dismissal of Imran Khan, the country's new Prime Minister.
Asia Bibi, a Christian citizen and mother of four, who has now been freed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, had been in prison awaiting execution by hanging since 2010.
The reason for her imprisonment was that her Muslim neighbors, who consider her "impure" according to Islamic law, objected to Asia Bibi drinking water from one of their glasses, and these neighbors have said that Asia had insulted Islam in response to this objection; a charge that Asia Bibi denies.
Reports indicate that Saqib Naseer, the prosecutor who ordered Asia's release, along with two other judges in the case, have now received written death threats from the main leader of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik party.
The Tehreek-e-Labbaik party was founded when a group of Islamists came together in support of the assassin of Salman Atef, the governor of Lahore.
Salman Atef had defended Asia Bibi's freedom on a television program, and for this, one of his bodyguards shot him dead with 27 rounds of a Kalashnikov near his home.
In November, after the government made a small change to the text of one of the religious oaths, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) faced a major problem in the city of Islamabad by blocking roads. Seven people were killed and more than 200 were injured in a police clash with them.
Source: Radio Farda
