Pakistan Interior Minister blames India for violent clashes in Islamabad

Pakistan Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday claimed that violent protesters, who blocked the country’s capital Islamabad, had “contacted India” and his government was investigating the matter.

However, he didn’t give any further details about his claim.

In an interview to a leading Pakistani news website, Iqbal said the “protesters were not simple people. We can see that they have various resources at their disposal.”

"Why they did it, we are looking into it. They have inside information and resources that are being used against the state,” he added.

About 2,000 activists of Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) and the Sunni Tehreek Pakistan (ST) for more than two weeks have been blocking the Islamabad Expressway and Murree Road that connect Islamabad with its only airport and the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

They were demanding the resignation of law minister Zahid Hamid for changes made about Khatm-i-Nabuwwat or finality of prophethood oath in the Elections Act 2017 passed in September.

Earlier in the day, one security personnel killed and over 150 others were injured in the violent clashes which broke out after Frontier Constabulary personnel and other law enforcement agencies launched a crackdown against protesters camped out at the Faizabad Interchange.

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The operation was launched after Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday issued contempt of court notice against Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal for failing to implement orders to clear the roads.

The Pakistan government has blocked popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube amidst ongoing operation against protesters.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) prohibited private news channels from live coverage of the entire police Operation against protesters.

Most of the news channels went of air in Islamabad, Quetta and other parts of the country. A message saying "This channel is suspended on orders of Pemra," was appearing on TV screens in place of news.