Islamist extremists have violently breached the heavily guarded Red Zone in Islamabad, targeting the Supreme Court in protest against Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s ruling affirming the right to religious freedom for non-Muslims.
The incident took place near the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Constitution Avenue in Islamabad on August 19. On Monday, angry protesters, under the banner of the religious organization, the Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz-i-Nabuwat, clashed with police after barging into Islamabad’s Red Zone, home to sensitive government buildings such as the Presidency, Prime Minister House, Parliament and the Supreme Court.
“At around 3:35 p.m. [on Monday], miscreants coming from three sides under the leadership of Qazi Abdul Rasheed started assembling at Express Chowk,” a copy of the police complaint registered by Islamabad Police and seen by Arab News said.
“They were about 5,000 to 6,000 and armed with weapons and batons,” the report said, adding that Safe City cameras would be used to identify the suspects.
Visuals showed thousands of Islamist extremists surging towards the Supreme Court of Pakistan, moving like a single, angry mob. The crowd was massive and densely packed, with individuals shouting in a chaotic display of rage. Their unified movement created a powerful and overwhelming force, charging towards the courthouse with a sense of determined fury. The scene was marked by a frenetic energy as they pushed through the streets, intent on their attack, their collective anger palpable and intense. The atmosphere was charged with tension, as the sea of people converged on the Supreme Court, their numbers and fervor adding to the chaos.
According to reports a large mob of Islamist extremists from Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) stormed the Supreme Court premises in Islamabad, demanding the resignation of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The unrest erupted following the Chief Justice’s controversial decision to release Mubarak Sani, an Ahmadiyya man who had been charged with blasphemy. The ruling, which upheld the constitutional right to religious freedom, has been met with intense backlash from Islamist groups.
The situation escalated after the court’s recent review of its February decision. On July 24, the Supreme Court, considering pleas from the Punjab government and several Islamist organizations, ruled that the right to religious freedom is subject to law, morality, and public order. This decision prompted fresh protests and threats against the judiciary.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, led by Pir Zaheerul Hasan Shah, has placed a bounty of 1 crore Pakistani rupees on Judge Isa’s head, further inflaming the situation. The “Sar tan se juda” mob, comprising thousands, has intensified their demands for Isa’s resignation, leading to significant security concerns and widespread condemnation.
As the court prepares for a hearing on August 22 to review the contested decision, the Pakistani judiciary faces unprecedented challenges amid rising tensions and violent protests.
Police on Wednesday filed a case against over 6,000 protesters who had entered the federal capital’s sensitive Red Zone and tried to storm the Supreme Court earlier this week over a ruling in a blasphemy case heard by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
In February this year, hundreds of supporters of religious outfits rallied to protest against what they said were blasphemous remarks by CJ Isa in a case against a member of the minority Ahmadi community who has been accused of blasphemy for distributing Islamic literature and been in jail for 13 months. Following the protests, the Supreme Court had released a statement calling the “impression” of blasphemy by Isa “absolutely wrong” and rejecting the “vicious campaign” against him.
