Pakistan’s military deployed troops into its capital of Islamabad Sunday after thousands of protesters held the city hostage over accusations that the current government revised its commitment to Islam.
The protests center around a proposed change to the oath of office in Pakistan that requires any office holder in the country to declare their belief that Muhammad is the final prophet of God. Islamic Cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi led the protests against the government, demanding the resignation of a senior Pakistani official.
Protests have left six dead and hundreds other injured in the streets as clashes continued between police and rioters. The Pakistani government has cut access to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in the country in order to deter organizing for the protesters. The country also ordered its TV stations to go off the air as it cracked down.
WATCH:
Violence erupted in Pakistan’s capitol city of Islamabad when police tried to disperse the 19-day old protest sit-in of a religious group ordered by the court. Dozens were arrested & many were injured. Some of Pak TV channels were taken off the air by govt during police action. pic.twitter.com/SMVFM1wTCd
— VOA DEEWA (@voadeewa) November 25, 2017
The Pakistani government disavowed the change to the oath of office, and the senior Pakistani official reportedly released a video of himself declaring his oath to the Islamic faith. He blamed a clerical error for the change in the declaration of faith during the oath of office.
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