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Pakistani authorities on Saturday launched a crackdown against hundreds of hard-clerical supporters whose party recently paralyzed the country by staging violent protests against the acquittal of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy.
A few hours after the arrest of religious leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi on Friday night, police announced that more than 300 supporters of the Tehreek-Labaik Party Pakistan (TLP) had been arrested for the purpose of "keeping the order public".
The arrests took place before the party's planned rally Sunday in Islamabad, but Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan said that TLP supporters would be banned from gathering in the neighboring province.
"We are arresting TLP supporters throughout the province to avoid any reaction after the arrest of their leaders," Chohan said.
"The police have been deployed to all major cities across the province to deal with any unwanted incidents and there is a total ban on any type of political gathering in the province."
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the detention of Rizvi "has nothing to do with the" Asia Bibi "case, referring to a Christian woman sentenced to death for eight years. years before the Supreme Court overturns his conviction for blasphemy last month.
The court's decision sparked furious protests led by the radical TLP party, protesters demanding the execution of Bibi while blocking major roads, leaving large tracts of the country paralyzed.
In response, the government has reached an agreement with the Islamists to impose a ban on traveling to Bibi, who was released from prison earlier this month while she is waiting for the outcome of the latest review of her case.
The TLP has promised to return to the streets if it is allowed to leave the country.
Clashes took place Saturday morning in the southern city of Karachi between Pakistani paramilitary forces and demonstrators following the arrest of Rizvi.
"Khadim Hussain Rizvi was remanded into custody by the police and transferred to a guest house," Chaudhry tweeted.
"It is to preserve public life, property and public order (…), the law will run its course and can not be left to individuals," he added.
A notice from the Punjab government announced that the cleric would be detained for 30 days. The notification indicated that there was "credible" information that the cleric would create a situation of maintenance of order.
In a video message released on Friday, another TLP leader, Pir Afzal Qadri, called for new protests, saying the police arrested dozens of party members in the port city of Karachi and Lahore.
Blasphemy is an extremely inflammatory problem in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad can lead to lynchings and killings .
The conviction of Bibi stems from an incident that occurred in 2009 when she had been asked to fetch water while she was working in the fields.
Muslim workers objected to her touching the bowl of water as a non-Muslim and a fight broke out.
A local imam then claimed that Bibi had insulted the Prophet Muhammad.
Bibi has always denied the charges and his lawsuits have brought together international human rights groups, politicians and religious figures.
Khadim Hussain Rizvi, Fire Priest, Head of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan Party
Clashes took place Saturday morning in Karachi, in the south of the country, between Pakistani paramilitary forces and protesters following the arrest of Rizvi.
TLP leaders said the police arrested dozens of party workers in the port city of Karachi
Pakistani rangers take up positions in Karachi street during clashes with protesters following arrest of radical leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi
