Info minister Fawad Chaudhry vows to act against rebellious protests

KARACHI: Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that state would not ignore the rebellious protests staged by a religious group over acquittal of Asia Bibi.

“This is not a religious issue, it’s an act of treason. No state can ignore it,” Fawad Chaudhry told media persons in Karachi on Sunday.

“No one should have this misunderstanding that the state will let this behaviour go unnoticed,” he said, adding provocative speeches made by protest leaders will not be ignored.

The federal minister said that those involved would be taken to task, adding the government wanted to resolve the issue under a strategy.

“The Constitution and law of the state were insulted, this act is hard to forgive,” said the federal minister.

In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Saturday, Chaudhry said that using force against protesters was not the preferred method for the government to deal with the demonstrations.

"We had two options: either to use force, and when you use force people can be killed. That is not something a state should do... We tried negotiations and (in) negotiations you take something and you leave something," he said.

Protests had erupted in several cities after the Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman on death row since 2010 when she was convicted on blasphemy charges. The protests paralysed routine life in major cities, causing severe road blockages in major cities and resulting in severe mobility issues for citizens.