Pakistan arrests top extremist Sufi cleric for creating intolerant environment
Lahore – A top extremist Sufi cleric of Pakistan and his supporters were arrested by Lahore Police on Friday for causing everyday nuisance by disturbing daily Pakistani life.
52-years-old, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, chairman of a Lahore-based extremist party Tahreek-e-Labbaik and his supporters were arrested for holding illegal rallies and protests against the Government for exonerating a Christian lady – Asia Bibi – from blasphemy charges.
The rallies and protests were unnecessarily affecting the poor daily wage labors, shop-keepers, street hawkers, and a regular normal life.
On 31 October, Supreme Court of Pakistan acquitted Asia Bibi who has been on the death row since 2010 for insulting the Islam and the Prophet.
The Supreme court decision angered Rizvi and his supporters, and they held violent protests for three days. However, Rizvi ended protests after authorities promised that Bibi will not be able to leave Pakistan until a petition against her acquittal was reviewed.
In November 2017, Rizvi organized protests for the resignation of law minister, for which he received criticisms for creating an environment of intolerance. The Pakistani community was shocked by his crude and abusive usage of language.
