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Islamists prevail in Pakistan, force law minister Zahid Hamid to resign

Published

9 years ago

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Islamists-Faizabad-protest

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah, other Islamic groups had laid siege on Islamabad last week protesting against a ‘blasphemous’ amendment to the Elections Act

Late on Sunday night, Pakistan’s Federal law minister Zahid Hamid resigned from office; a decision that is likely to pave the way for ending a week-long siege of the country’s capital, Islamabad, by hard-line Islamist groups who have been protesting against a now-abandoned ‘blasphemous’ amendment to the Elections Act, 2017.

Hamid’s resignation was a key demand put forth by the protestors – led by the hitherto little-known hard-line group Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLYR) – as a pre-condition for ending their agitation, which had turned violent and claimed six lives while leaving over 200 injured through the weekend.

The standoff had begun between the government and protestors over a recent amendment to the Elections Act, which sought to alter the ‘Finality of Prophethood’ declaration that electoral candidates in the country have to mandatorily make while being sworn-in.

Although the government had hastily abandoned the amendment, with some sections having even declared it as a ‘clerical error’, the protestors had continued their agitation and pressed for Hamid’s resignation as the first condition for restoration of normalcy.

The TLYR has claimed that Hamid oversaw the introduction and passage of the Elections Amendment Bill 2017, which altered the text of a form that candidates contesting elections need to sign. The candidates were earlier expected to “solemnly swear” that they believe Muhammad was Islam’s last prophet. The new amended form – now abandoned – asked candidates to swear that they “believe” in the finality of Muhammad’s prophethood – an issue of semantics that the hardliners felt was the Pakistan government’s ‘softening’ of stance against the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam – a persecuted minority group who many in the Islamic country don’t consider to be Muslims.

While a detailed statement by Hamid is still awaited, his fleeting comments have been flashed by media organisations in Pakistan in which he has claimed that the contentious amendment was not his handiwork but one that was “formulated by a parliamentary committee comprising members belonging to all political parties.”

Hamid told Pakistan’s Geo TV that he was “not directly responsible for the introduction of the controversial amendment to the Finality of Prophethood declaration for electoral candidates” but that he had decided to step down from his office of the Federal law minister “in order to restore peace in the country.”

Pakistan’s leading media organisation Dawn said in a report: “The minister’s resignation comes in the aftermath of Saturday’s botched operation against protesters at Faizabad and ‘successful negotiations’ with leaders of the demonstration late on Sunday night”.

With Hamid resigning, evidently under pressure from the Islamists, TLYR leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi addressed a press conference at the Faizabad Interchange protest site in Islamabad and ordered his followers across Pakistan to end the sit-ins and go home. He also announced an end to the strike being observed on Monday and called for opening businesses and shops.

Rizvi declared that the Islamist protesters camping at the Faizabad Interchange will depart from the protest site within 12 hours, as soon as implementation of the agreement reached with the government is started.

The TLYR leader claimed that Pakistan’s Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and Major General Faiz Hameed had acted as guarantors for the agreement between the protestors and the federal government.

A report by Dawn said that according to a document circulating among journalists that bears signatures of the protest leaders and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, among others, the federal government has agreed to the following demands put forth by the TLYR in order to end the sit-in:

  1. Remove Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid from his position immediately. “Tehreek-i-Labaik will issue no fatwa [religious decree] of any kind against him.”
  2. The report prepared by Raja Zafarul Haq-led committee will be made public within 30 days and whoever is named in the report for being responsible for the change in the election oath will be acted against under the law.
  3. All protesters arrested between November 6 until the end of the sit-in from across the country will be released within one to three days according to legal requirements. The cases registered against them and the house arrests imposed on them will be ended.
  4. An inquiry board will be established to probe and decide what action to take against the government and administration officials over the operation conducted by security forces against protesters on Saturday, November 25. The inquiry should be completed within 30 days and action will be taken against those found responsible.
  5. The federal and provincial governments will determine and compensate for the loss of government and private assets incurred from November 6 until the end of the sit-in.
  6. The points already agreed to concerning the Government of Punjab will be fully implemented.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

Published

1 day ago

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September 23, 2026

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

Published

2 days ago

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September 23, 2026

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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Trump issues fresh Iran warning at UN General Assembly, signals deal after midterms

US President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran during his UN General Assembly address, saying he faces a choice between a deal and further escalation.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 22, 2026

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US President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to outline what he described as a major decision over Iran, putting the possibility of a deal against further military escalation.

Speaking at the UN in New York, Trump said he had a “big decision” to make. He questioned whether the United States should pursue an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild or instead take further action against the Islamic Republic.

Trump later indicated that he believed an agreement with Iran could be reached after the US midterm elections, which are scheduled for November 3.

Trump says deal with Iran remains possible

During his speech, Trump presented two possible paths. He said a deal could allow Iran to rebuild and become a stronger country, while also raising the possibility of destroying the Islamic Republic if an agreement was not reached.

Trump said he believed a deal could eventually be reached, arguing that Iran was waiting to see the outcome of the US midterm elections.

His comments came amid the continuing US-Iran conflict and renewed diplomatic activity surrounding the confrontation. Trump’s UN appearance came as Washington was also engaged in discussions with multiple international leaders over the Iran conflict and other global issues.

Iranian delegation walks out during Trump’s speech

The Iranian delegation reportedly left the General Assembly chamber as Trump began describing the military confrontation with Iran.

According to the report, only one person from the Iranian delegation remained seated as Trump spoke about the conflict and the military strikes of the past six months.

The walkout came as tensions between Washington and Tehran remained high, with both sides facing pressure over the continuation of the conflict.

Trump’s latest warning follows earlier comments

Trump’s UN remarks came days after he said he was approaching a major decision over whether to intensify military action against Iran or pursue another route.

He had also indicated before his UN appearance that he could be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the UN General Assembly in New York.

The possibility of renewed negotiations comes against the backdrop of continuing military and diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

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