Pakistan Law Minister resigns following deadly clashes

Pakistan Law Minister Zahid Hamid resigned on Monday after deadly clashes that rocked the country amid accusations of blasphemy over a proposed change in parliamentary laws, media reports said.

The protest leaders of various religious groups called off demonstrations that have been hampering daily life in cities across the country since November 6 after their list of demands were accepted by the government including Hamid's resignation, reports Dawn news.

The minister's resignation comes in the aftermath of Saturday's bot­ched operation against protesters at Faizabad and "successful negotiations" with the protest leaders of the demonstration late Sunday night.

Six people were killed while hundreds were injured during the operation that was eventually suspended.

Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY) leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi while addressing a press conference ordered his followers all over the country to end the demonstration and go home.

He also announced an end to the strike being observed on Monday and called for opening businesses and shops.

He said the protesters camped out at Faizabad will depart from the protest site within 12 hours.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has accepted Hamid's resignation and a notification in this regard will soon be issued by the Cabinet Division, Dawn news reported.

"I made the decision to resign in a personal capacity," Hamid said late Sunday night.

The protesters that gathered in Faizabad were from the groups TLY, Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, and the Sunni Tehreek Pakistan (ST).

They called for strict action against those behind the amendment to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath in the Elections Act 2017 - which had earlier been deemed a "clerical error".

The government apologised and later retracted the amendment.

--IANS

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