A radical Islamist party in Pakistan says it has called on its followers to hold nationwide protests over the weekend against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who spent eight years on death row after being convicted for blasphemy.
Mohammad Shafiq Amini, acting leader of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik party, is urging the country's transport operators to stay off the roads on Friday and join their protest. He says police have arrested hundreds of the party's supporters following Tuesday's acquittal of Bibi to deter them from holding rallies.
Bibi, who is in hiding at an undisclosed location, is expected to join her daughters abroad soon. Her ordeal began in 2009 when she was accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad and was sentenced to death.
