The demise of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been condoled by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa among others.
Rizvi, who rose to fame following a sit-in at Faizabad Interchange against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in 2018. His party also opposed the release of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who spent almost a decade on death row over false blasphemy accusations.
In a tweet, the prime minister said: On the passing of Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi my condolences go to his family. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.”
In a tweet, the military media wing shared Gen Bajwa’s reaction to the death of the cleric. “General Qamar Javed Bajwa,#COAS, expresses heartfelt condolence on the sad demise of Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi. “May Allah Almighty bless the departed soul in eternal peace.”
Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri also expressed grief and sorrow on the TLP chief’s death. He said: “Pakistan has lost a respected religious scholar and true admirer of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)”, adding that his “services for Islam will be remembered for long”.
In a tweet, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq expressed shock and grief over Rizvi’s sudden demise, saying his party shared the sorrow of his family members and TLP workers.
On Thursday night, Rizvi died in Lahore supposedly due to coronavirus. Reports suggest that the cleric was suffering from the viral infection because he had high-grade fever for the past couple of days in addition to other complications.
Rizvi is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.
It may be noted here that Rizvi led a recent TLP rally in Islamabad against the blasphemous cartoons in a French magazine. Things had taken an ugly turn when participants of the protest-turned-sit-in had clashed with law enforcement personnel, resulting in over a dozen injuries.
The law and order situation had been dealt with by the government after accepting the protesters’ demands.
