Islamabad sit-in continues as religious parties remain adamant

After turning down government's offer to reshuffle Law Minister Zahid Hamid's portfolio or send him on a leave, Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah leaders and protesters continue their sit-in at Islamabad's Faizabad Interchange.

According to media reports, a number of options were proposed to the leaders in return to end their sit-in but all of these offers were rejected. The protesting leaders are adamant in continuing their sit-in to get the law minister sacked from the cabinet. However, the government refuses to accept this demand.

Interior minister calls Ulema’s emergency meeting on Monday

It has been 14 days since the sit-in was started in Islamabad's Faizabad Interchange. Now, a sit-in has also been started from Saturday at Numaish Chowrangi in Karachi by workers of Tehreek Labbaik Ya-Rasoolullah.

Raja Zafarul Haq, leader of the house in the Senate, said that the religious leaders were also offered a meeting with Hamid to discuss the issue and remove any doubts on Sunday. However, the leaders refused to meet the law minister, saying that they had made a commitment to their people to get the Hamid removed and nothing less than that would be acceptable for them.

For the safety of the minister and his family, the government has decided to send them abroad in case the protesters agreed to call off the demonstration. The law minister has also received a number of threats.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal clarified that the entire nation, as Muslims, believes in Khatm-e-Nabuwwat and the government will make no compromise on the matter.

Iqbal will chair on Monday (today) a meeting in Islamabad with religious scholars belonging to all schools of thought to discuss the situation of the sit-in and to find a solution to the protest that continue to wreak havoc in the city.

According to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, final consultation would be held with religious scholars to cope with the situation.