Minister Zahid Hamid resigned in the wake of the government failing to disperse the Faizabad protesters, who are calling for his ouster over a hastily-abandoned amendment to the election candidates’ oath.
Hamid met Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday where the former said he was ready to resign for the sake of bringing the ongoing crisis to an end.
It was decided at the meeting that the law minister would tender his resignation to the prime minister within the next 24 hours.
On Saturday, the authorities finally launched an operation to retrieve Faizabad intersection from Tehreek-e-Labbaik protesters after weeks of negotiations and nudging by the courts, but the police action only multiplied the government’s problems amid a worsening law and order situation in Islamabad and other cities.
Incensed by the government crackdown on the Faizabad sit-in, several men affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik attacked the residence of law minister in his hometown of Pasrur, Sialkot district.
The protesters, led by cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, said they would continue the sit-in until Hamid – who they blame for the recent controversy surrounding changes in the Khatm-e-Nabuwat clause in the oath of office – is removed from his post.