Pakistan government bows to protestors, Law Minister Zahid Hamid resigns

Hamid's resignation was among the prime demands of the protestors, who have laid siege to Islamabad.

File photo of Zahid Hamid. (Picture: Government of Pakistan)

Pakistan's federal government has come to heel with the protestors who have held Islamabad hostage for weeks. Law Minister Zahid Hamid resigned on Monday morning, in line with a deal struck overnight on Sunday in a bid to end the standoff, Pakistani media have reported.

Pakistani state broadcaster PTV reported that Hamid presented his resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to bring the country "out of a state of crisis". Pakistani daily Dawn reported that Abbasi is likely to accept the resignation later in the day.

"I made the decision to resign in a personal capacity," Hamid was quoted as saying by government sources.

Hamid's resignation was among the prime demands of the protestors, who also aimed to bring a range of 'religious' parties onto a single platform ahead of the coming general election. However, a formal announcement of the end to the protests is yet to come.

The resignation comes after a botched operation to forcefully remove the protestors. Calls from the federal government for reinforcements have for all purposes been rejected by the powerful Pakistani Army.

The government has since had to move other paramilitary forces into the area to 'handle' the protestors till a political solution can be worked out.

The protestors have laid siege to Islamabad against an amendment to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath in the Elections Act 2017. The Khatm-i-Nabuwwat is an affidavit that every electoral candidate has to submit, affirming Prophet Mohammad as the final prophet. The controversial change in the language of the oath had been reversed, and had been attributed to 'clerical error'.

Hamid has put out messages on multiple platforms affirming his personal faith in the finality of the prophethood of Mohammad. These messages had come after his ancestral house had been attacked. He also discussed concerns over his personal safety with Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistani daily Express Tribune reported.