Pakistan Briefly Blocks Social Media Amid Anti-France Rally

After days of violent anti-French demonstrations around the world. Pakistan has briefly blocked access to all social media on Friday. According to Khurram Mehran, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s internet regulatory agency. Sites Twitter and Facebook blocked for four hours on orders from the country’s interior ministry. He didn’t go into any further detail. The step comes as police plan to clear a massive rally in the eastern city of Lahore. The government aims to defuse tensions by issuing a note purportedly written by Saad Rizvi. The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party sparked the violent protests that killed four police officers and wounded 600 others. However, France has advised its people to leave the region.

Three protesters also killed in clashes with security forces. Hence, the government has banned the group with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s support. Khan took Twitter to pay tribute to the officers who killed or wounded in the violence. He said the violence intended to cause disruption and blackmail his government. The police filed charges against Rizvi for stirring violence that resulted in the deaths of police officers. An advisor to the prime minister had earlier tweeted a photo of the announcement. Before stopping, some of Rizvi’s supporters insisted on hearing or seeing the words coming from Rizvi the Lahore protest began after Friday prayers. After the arrest of Rizvi, the French embassy in Pakistan urged all of its citizens and businesses to leave the Islamic country.

Khadim Hussain Rizvi died unexpectedly in November:

Violent demonstrations have taken place in Lahore causing damage to private and public property and blocking the much-needed supply of oxygen to hospitals. COVID-19 patients on oxygen treatment were affected. In the address, Rizvi urged his followers to disperse peacefully for the sake of the nation. Following Rizvi’s detention, his supporters staged violent demonstrations throughout the country. Despite the fact that security forces have cleared almost all of the rallies. Moreover, thousands of Rizvi’s supporters have gathered in Lahore, owing to die in order to defend the name of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

After his father, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, died unexpectedly in November, Rizvi took over as leader of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party. In addition, his party requires the government to boycott French goods. Macron spoke after a young Muslim assassinated a French schoolteacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. Many Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere were outraged, believing the representations blasphemous. However, Rizvi’s party has become popular in recent years for its opposition.