Pakistan Surrenders To Islamic Extremists. Justice Minister Has Been Fired

New York Times: Pakistan Strikes Deal With Islamist Protesters in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s government struck a deal on Monday with leaders of a fundamentalist Islamist protest movement, saying that the country’s law minister would step down in return for an end to demonstrations that had brought violent clashes and paralyzed the Pakistani capital for weeks.

The embattled law minister, Zahid Hamid, whom protesters had accused of blasphemy, resigned as part of negotiations overseen by Pakistan’s military, officials said.

Public anger over the protest’s disruption of Islamabad, the capital, had been growing by the day, and the agreement was widely seen as another in a string of capitulations by the government to religious extremists who command growing popularity in Pakistan.

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WNU Editor: It is a sad day for Pakistan when the state surrenders to extremists. These bigots are not going to stop with just the resignation of the justice minister.

More News On Islamists Celebrating Victory In Pakistan

Pakistan law minister resigns, Islamists celebrate victory -- AP
Pakistani Islamists call off protests over blasphemy claim as govt. backs down -- Reuters
Pakistan minister resigns as officials bow to Islamists' demands -- AFP
Pakistan caves to protest demands by forcing out law minister after days of unrest -- Washington Post
Pakistan Islamists call off protests after minister resigns -- BBC New
Pakistan's ignominious surrender to Islamists -- Deutsche Welle
What were the protests in Pakistan about? -- Aljazeera

Pakistan Calls On The Army To Restore Order In Islamabad As Blasphemy Protests Spread

DW: Pakistan calls on army to disperse Islamabad sit-in after police, Islamists clash

At least six people have been killed and 190 injured after police moved to break up an Islamist protest in Islamabad. Religious hardliners are demanding the resignation of Pakistan's law minister over a blasphemy row.

Pakistan's government called on the country's powerful military to be deployed in Islamabad on Saturday after deadly clashes broke out between police and religious hardliners.

At least six people were killed and at least 190 people were injured — around 137 of whom were security personnel — when violence broke out as police moved to break up an Islamist blockade which had paralyzed the capital for weeks.

Security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas while protesters burned police vehicles and reportedly hurled stones at security forces.

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More News On The Growing Blasphemy Protests In Pakistan

Pakistan calls on army to restore order as blasphemy protests spread -- The Guardian
Pakistani government calls in army to help disperse Islamist protesters -- Reuters
Pakistan army called on to stop 'blasphemy' clashes in Islamabad -- BBC
Pakistan calls in army to end anti-blasphemy protests -- ABC News Online
Pakistan calls in army to end anti-blasphemy protests -- Al Jazeera
Pakistan calls on army to deploy in capital after protest bloodshed -- AFP
Pakistan summons army after violent protests -- UPI
Pakistani govt calls in army to disperse Islamist protesters after 200 injured in clashes (VIDEO) -- RT
Pakistan orders TV channels to go off air during crackdown on Islamist protest -- Reuters

Pakistani Mob Attacks Hundreds Of Christians In Lahore

‘Blasphemy’ Revenge: Over 100 Pakistani Christians Homes Set Ablaze -- RT

Over 100 homes owned by Pakistani Christians have been set ablaze by thousands of angry Muslims in the eastern city of Lahore. Police said the violence was prompted by derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed, allegedly by a Christian resident.

Around 3,000 Muslim protesters took part in multiple simultaneous arsons of Christian homes, that belonged to low to middle-class families from the minority community.

Police say 25 houses were burnt, but witnesses put the number at far more than one hundred.

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More News On Pakistan's Sectarian Violence

Alleged blasphemy triggers fiery rampage -- UPI
Christian Homes Set Ablaze in Pakistan -- Voice of America
Attack on Christians Follows Claim of Blasphemy in Pakistan -- New York Times
Pakistan arrests scores over Lahore anti-Christian riot -- BBC
Christian, police clash in Pakistan over burning of their homes by a Muslim mob -- Washington Post
Christian protesters decry Muslim mob's arson spree following blasphemy charge -- CNN
Christians Protest in Pakistan Over Torched Homes -- Voice of America
AP PHOTOS: Mob in Pakistani city torches Christian homes after accusations of blasphemy -- Washington Post/AP

Sectarian Violence Ripping Pakistan Apart

Insight: Spiral Of Karachi Killings Widens Pakistan's Sectarian Divide -- Reuters

(Reuters) - When Aurangzeb Farooqi survived an attempt on his life that left six of his bodyguards dead and a six-inch bullet wound in his thigh, the Pakistani cleric lost little time in turning the narrow escape to his advantage.

Recovering in hospital after the ambush on his convoy in Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, the radical Sunni Muslim ideologue was composed enough to exhort his followers to close ranks against the city's Shi'ites.

"Enemies should listen to this: my task now is Sunni awakening," Farooqi said in remarks captured on video shortly after a dozen gunmen opened fire on his double-cabin pick-up truck on December 25.

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My Comment: I suspect that the sectarian violence is far worse than what is being reported.

Anti-U.S. Riots Sweep Pakistan

At Least 18 Dead In Pakistan Anti-American Rioting Friday -- L.A. Times

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Fiery anti-U.S. demonstrations swept through Pakistan's capital and several other cities Friday as thousands of people furious over an anti-Islam film privately produced in America clashed with police in one of the worst waves of violence to hit the nation in recent years. In Islamabad, protesters turned the city’s tree-lined boulevards and avenues into a battle zone as they toppled freight containers set up as barriers and pelted riot police with rocks while unsuccessfully trying to storm a heavily guarded enclave housing the U.S. embassy and other diplomatic missions. Across the country, at least 18 people were killed in the violence and more than 100 more injured.

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More News On Today's Anti_U.S. Riots In Pakistan

Deadly Violence Breaks Out in Pakistan as Public Holiday Begins -- New York Times
Death toll rises in Pakistan video protests -- Al Jazeera
Death Toll Rises in Pakistan Protests -- Wall Street Journal
Pakistani officials say 16 people killed in protests against anti-Islam film, 12 in Karachi -- Washington Post/AP
Sweeping Pakistan: Wave of violent protests fueled by anti-Islam film -- Christian Science Monitor
Thirteen killed in Pakistan protests against anti-Islam film -- The Telegraph
More than dozen killed in Pakistan protests over anti-Islam video -- CBS/AP
13 killed, 195 hurt in Pakistan anit-Islam film protests: officials -- Hindustan Times/AFP
Pakistan film protests: Ten die in Karachi and Peshawar -- BBC
Protests Erupt Across Pakistan Over Video -- Voice of America
Pakistan 'Day of Love' protests over anti-Islam film descend into deadly violence -- NBC
Pakistan Protests Over Islam Film Target U.S. Missions -- Bloomberg
Protesters march towards US consulates in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar -- The International News

My Comment: These are government sanctioned protests ....and not surprisingly they have gotten out of hand.