WITHIN AN HOUR of hearing about the arrest of the leader of Tehreek-e-Lab-baik Pakistan (TLP), a group that agitates against perceived insults to Islam, Rajab Ali had left his ironmonger's shop in Rawalpindi's China Market and joined thousands of protesters to denounce Imran Khan's government. Mr Ali may have voted for the prime minister three years ago, but the TLP's mission to defend the honour of the Prophet Muhammad trumped party loyalty. The TLP was calling for the French ambassador to be expelled for the repeated publication in his country of cartoons of the Prophet; Mr Khan was wrong to try to silence its righteous demands. "We came out onto the streets because we are Muslims," explains Mr Ali. Since the arrest of the tlp's leader, Hafiz Saad Rizvi, on April 12th, at least four policemen and an unknown number of protesters have been killed in riots, with hundreds more hurt. Main roads have been closed and shops shut. The French government has urged its citizens to leave the country. Mr Khan at first vowed not to be blackmailed by violence, but has since given in to several of the TLP's demands.
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