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A Pakistani government team last Friday negotiated an agreement with Islamist groups, apparently defusing three days of paralyzing protests against the Supreme Court's acquittal of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy against the holy prophet of Islamabad. # 39; Islam.
The government agreed in the agreement to take "legal steps" to prevent the woman from leaving the country while the court heard a petition against the verdict.
Members of a group called Tehreek e-Labbaik ya Rasool Allah, or TLYR, blocked roads in cities across the country and clashed with police overnight. In a video of such a clash on a cell phone, one could see a protester pulling a gun.
The protests began Wednesday morning after the country's highest court upheld Asia Bibi's appeal against a guilty verdict. She was under sentence of death since 2010 under the controversial blasphemy laws in Pakistan.
According to Bibi, she was allegedly falsely accused after a heated argument with other women who had refused to drink water that she had given them because she was a Christian.
Other religious groups also staged protests Friday, albeit in a peaceful manner.
The government banned TV coverage of events related to the problem and suspended cell phone service in several cities throughout the day to contain the crowd.
Schools across the country have been closed and many workers have stayed at home. Traffic was light and unpredictable, roads being blocked by TLYR members or police in some places.
People turned to Twitter, Facebook and other social media forums, as information on dozens of TV channels in Pakistan was scarce. Rumors and unconfirmed information that followed spurred anxiety among those with relatives or friends traveling or away from home.
Foreign media and journalists have often used mobile phones rather than cameras to film protests after several instances of TLYR members hitting cameramen or breaking equipment.
While the demonstrations were spread out and none of the spots had more than a few thousand people, those present seemed to be busy and ready to fight.
"If the police come here, we'll hit them with this stick. We are here for Islam. If they conduct an operation, we are ready to die. We will not withdraw, "said an 18-year-old man brandishing an iron baton, who came alone from another city to witness the protest in Islamabad, the capital.
Several people have brought their children to protests despite the risk of security operations that may include tear gas, water cannons, stick charges or rubber bullets.
A man, who took four girls and a baby to a rally in Islamabad, said he planned to stay despite the risks for his children.
"All my children, my parents and all my family are for the prophet," said Mohammad Zahid Niazi.
Earlier in the week, TLYR leaders called for the assassination of Bibi and Supreme Court judges who pronounced the acquittal judgment, overturned the elected and mutinied government in the military against His boss. This prompted Prime Minister Imran Khan to respond with a strong message on national television.
On Thursday morning, however, the government seemed to have softened its position by announcing that it would negotiate a peaceful end to the protests.
On Thursday night, TLYR leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi tweeted that the negotiations, which included government ministers and an army general of the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, had failed. He called on his supporters to stop the country on Friday.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, however, tweeted Friday morning that the government was still negotiating with TLYR.
Pakistani Army spokesman Asif Ghafoor told Pakistani state television on Friday morning that the situation must be resolved peacefully.
"Both parties should talk to each other. It should not reach the stage where the armed forces have to be called, "he said.
