Pakistan: Protesters clash with police while storming Supreme Court over blasphemy case
Aug 20, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], August 20 : In a dramatic turn of events in Islamabad on Monday, a group of protesters attempted to storm the Supreme Court premises over a blasphemy case, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
According to the report, police used batons and teargas to block protesters from reaching the Supreme Court premises.
The protest, organized by Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz-i-Nabuwat, demanded that the court overturn its ruling in the Mubarak Sani case.
Earlier in February, Mubarak Ahmad Sani, an Ahmadiyya man was accused of blasphemy in 2019 for distributing pamphlets advocating his religious views, was granted bail, Dawn reported.
The protesters gathered at Express Chowk, setting up a stage on a vehicle with a sound system for speeches. As a police force arrived at the scene, they also stationed officers behind the gate at the old parade ground.
Despite the police presence, the protesters managed to push through and advance towards the Supreme Court, leading to clashes with the police.
The authorities responded with baton charges, water cannons, and teargas, but the protesters reached both the Parliament House and the Supreme Court building. Afterwards, they returned to Express Chowk, performed Maghreb prayers, and dispersed before sunset, Dawn reported.
In Pakistan, radical groups have increasingly threatened the judiciary as part of their broader campaign against institutions. These threats are often fuelled by opposition to judicial rulings that the groups perceive as contrary to their interpretation of Islamic law. For example, Islamist factions have targeted judges with public condemnations, calls for protests, and even direct violence, as reported by Dawn.
The judiciary has faced intimidation through organized rallies and social media campaigns, aimed at pressuring judges and influencing their decisions. These threats not only undermine the independence of the judiciary but also contribute to an atmosphere of fear and instability within Pakistan's legal system.
Reports from human rights organizations, news articles from major outlets like Dawn and The Express Tribune, and analyses from academic experts on Pakistani politics have provided detailed accounts of these threats and their implications on several occasions.
