Hardline Pakistani cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi passes away
Follow UsStory highlights
The cause of his death was not immediately clear. There is speculation that he had contracted coronavirus
Hardline Pakistani cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi passed away in Lahore on Thursday (November 20, 2020). He was 54-years-old. His political party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) announced his demise. The cause of his death was not immediately clear. There is speculation that he had contracted coronavirus.
Rizvi breathed his last at Punjab Institute of Cardioology (PIC), said TLP leader Sheikh Nawaz. He was quoted by PTI. Rizvi was suffering from fever for last 10 days. However, he was present at the protest on Sunday in Rawalpindi against 'blasphemous' caricatures in France.
"Today he felt severe pain in his chest at his home in Chowk Yateem Khana in Lahore. He was rushed to PIC where he passed away before getting any treatment," said Nawaz.
Replying to a question about Rizvi having diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms, Nawaz said he couldn't confirm this, but the TLP chief had severe fever and cough.
Hundreds of TLP activists on Monday laid partial siege to the national capital to denounce the publication of blasphemous cartoons in a French magazine and force the government to expel the French ambassador.
After two days of violent clashes between TLP protesters and police in Rawalpindi, the Imran Khan government on Tuesday allegedly struck a deal with the Islamist political party, agreeing to one of its demands of not appointing any Pakistani envoy to France. There was, however, no official announcement of any such agreement.
TLP had secured 2.4 million votes in 2018 elections. It was alleged that the military establishment had created this religious outfit to field in politics to achieve it's designs.
The TLP first came to limelight in 2017 when it protested against some changes in the oath of elected representatives and organised about a three-week long sit-in at Faizabad, paralyzing life in Islamabad.
The TLP lifted the siege when then Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government fired its law minister.
Also Read: Pakistan, Russia sign revised gas deal, rename project: Report
PML-N alleges that TLP was first used against its government in 2017 and later the party was pitched against it in 2018 polls to dent into PML-N votes.
Rizvi is considered a controversial cleric and was arrested for asking army troops to rebel against the army chief. He spent several months in jail before being released in May 2019.
Born in 1966 in Pindi Gheb area of Punjab's Attock district, Rizvi used to deliver Friday sermons at Lahore's Pir Makki Masjid located near Data Darbar.
He had been confined to a wheelchair since his accident near Gujranwala in 2006. Rizvi belonged to the Barelvi school of thought.
(With inputs from PTI)