Negotiations between the government and demonstrators in Islamabad have concluded successfully, local administration officials confirmed, paving the way for the government to clear the Red Zone of protestors who have held the high-security area under siege for four days in a row.
Protesters in great numbers gathered on Sunday near the Parliament in D chowk for a sit in to protest the execution of Mumtaz Qadri. The protesters since camped at the place which is high security zone in the capital where government buildings and embassies of various countries are located. Protesters not only clashed with police but also had set fires few vehicles and broken metro bus station in the surrounding. Mobile phone services remained suspended for three days in the capital for security reasons following the sit-in.
After facing severe criticism to deal with protesters in a lenient manner, government gave deadline to protesters to leave the area else all preparations to clear the area have been taken. Police and paramilitary personnel wearing riot gear and armed with tear gas equipment are already posted around the high-security zone for any situation which may arise in case protesters refuse to disperse peacefully.
When it seemed that only police operation can vacate the area from the protesters, government indulged in the successful negotiations with them to end the protest peacefully. The government assured the protesters that those who engaged in peaceful protest will be released, and that the reversal of cases against clerics will be considered.
Protest is a democratic right of all citizens of the state but it is also our responsibility to keep protest non-violent.
Protest is democratic right but violence is not.