Pakistani Islamists call off protests over blasphemy claim as govt. backs downISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A hardline Pakistani Islamist group called off nationwide protests on Monday after the government met its demand that a government minister accused of blasphemy resign, following weekend clashes with police that paralyzed major cities. The cleric-politician leading the nearly three-week blockade of the capital, Islamabad, thanked the army chief for helping resolve the stand-off, raising questions about the military s role. The new ultra-religious political party Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan was protesting against a small change in wording to an electoral law changing a religious oath to a simple declaration, which it said amounted to blasphemy. The government climbdown will be seen as an embarrassment for the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party ahead of elections likely in mid-2018, and underlines the power of religious groups in the nuclear-armed nation of 207 million. Seven people were killed and nearly 200 wounded after a police bid to disperse protesters in Islamabad failed on Saturday, spurring demonstrators wielding sticks and iron rods to block key roads and motorways in other cities.  Our main demand has been accepted,  Ejaz Ashrafi, spokesman for Tahreek-e-Labaik, told Reuters, adding that part of the agreement was to free dozens of party workers arrested during the weekend crackdown.  Our workers  release is in process. Once that is done, we will leave.  At nightfall on Monday, the protesters were still in place. Law minister Zahid Hamid handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi  to take the country out of a crisis-like situation , state-run news channel PTV said on Monday.  Government spokesmen did not respond to requests from Reuters for comment. The government called in the military to tackle the protests after a police operation failed, but there was no sign of troops around protest camps on Sunday. The military said the army chief in one telephone call had advised Abbasi to resolve the protests peacefully. Tehreek-e-Labaik leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi on Monday described the army s role in ending the standoff.  The honorable chief of army staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, sent his special envoys to us. We said we do not want to talk to the government; they are our murderers,  Rizvi said.  So the general took personal interest and sent his team, saying  we will become the guarantors, and have your demands fulfilled . So we said,  All right. That is what we want.     For more than two weeks, Tehreek-e-Labaik activists have blocked the main road into the capital, Islamabad, in a protest that blamed law minister Hamid for changing the wording in an electoral oath. The party says the words  I believe , used to replace the clause  I solemnly swear  in a proclamation of Mohammad as the religion s last prophet, amount to blasphemy. The government blamed the change on a clerical error and swiftly restored the original format. Insulting Islam s prophet is punishable by death under Pakistani law, and blasphemy accusations stir such emotions that they are difficult to defend against. Even a rumor of blasphemy can spark mob violence, as in the case of a university student beaten to death in April. Labaik, one of two new ultra-religious political movements to reach prominence in recent months, has made defending the blasphemy laws a campaign centerpiece with some success. The party won a surprisingly strong 6 percent and 7.6 percent share of votes in two recent by-elections. Islamist parties are unlikely to win a majority in the elections expected next August, but could play a major role.   Giving in to the group s demands had hit the government s reputation and credibility, said political analyst Hasan Askari.  These protests will have emboldened this group, and they are going to assert themselves and put up candidates wherever they can in the next general election, or at least they will oppose the PML-N,  he added. The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party accused the government of bungling the efforts to remove the protesters and called for early elections. worldnews
pakistani islamists call protests blasphemy claim govt backs downislamabad reuters a hardline pakistani islamic group called nationwide protests monday government met demand government minister accused blasphemy resign following weekend clashes police paralyzed major cities the leading nearly blockade capital islamabad thanked army chief helping resolve raising questions military role the new political party pakistan protesting small change wording electoral law changing religious oath simple declaration said amounted blasphemy the government climbdown seen embarrassment ruling pakistan muslim party ahead elections likely underline power religious groups nation million seven people killed nearly wounded police bid disperse protesters islamabad failed saturday sparring demonstrators wielding sticks iron rods block key roads motorways cities our main demand accepted ja ashram spokesman told reuters adding part agreement free dozens party workers arrested weekend crackdown our workers release process once done leave at nightfall monday protesters still place law minister said amid handed resignation prime minister shahid khan abbas take country situation news channel ptv said monday government spokesman respond requests reuters comment the government called military tackle protests police operation failed sign troops around protest camps sunday the military said army chief one telephone call advised abbas resolve protests peacefully leader khaki hussain rvi monday described army role ending standoff the honorable chief army staff general qatar saved baja sent special envoys us we said want talk government murderers rvi said so general took personal interest sent team saying become guarantees demands fulfilled so said all right that want for two weeks activists blocked main road capital islamabad protest blamed law minister amid changing wording electoral oath the party says words i believe used replace clause i solemnly swear proclamation mohammad religion last prophet amount blasphemy the government blamed change clerical error swiftly restored original format insulting islam prophet punishable death pakistani law blasphemy accusations stir emotions difficult defend even rumor blasphemy spark mob violence case university student beaten death april ablik one two new political movements reach prominence recent months made defending blasphemy laws campaign centerpiece success the party surprisingly strong percent percent share votes two recent islamic parties unlikely win majority elections expected next august could play major role giving group demands hit government reputation credibility said political analyst hasan asahi these protests emboldened group going assert put candidates wherever next general election least oppose added the opposition pakistan pti party accused government bundling efforts remove protesters called early elections worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Pakistani Islamists call off protests over blasphemy claim as govt. backs downISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A hardline Pakistani Islamist group called off nationwide protests on Monday after the government met its demand that a government minister accused of blasphemy resign, following weekend clashes with police that paralyzed major cities. The cleric-politician leading the nearly three-week blockade of the capital, Islamabad, thanked the army chief for helping resolve the stand-off, raising questions about the military s role. The new ultra-religious political party Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan was protesting against a small change in wording to an electoral law changing a religious oath to a simple declaration, which it said amounted to blasphemy. The government climbdown will be seen as an embarrassment for the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party ahead of elections likely in mid-2018, and underlines the power of religious groups in the nuclear-armed nation of 207 million. Seven people were killed and nearly 200 wounded after a police bid to disperse protesters in Islamabad failed on Saturday, spurring demonstrators wielding sticks and iron rods to block key roads and motorways in other cities.  Our main demand has been accepted,  Ejaz Ashrafi, spokesman for Tahreek-e-Labaik, told Reuters, adding that part of the agreement was to free dozens of party workers arrested during the weekend crackdown.  Our workers  release is in process. Once that is done, we will leave.  At nightfall on Monday, the protesters were still in place. Law minister Zahid Hamid handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi  to take the country out of a crisis-like situation , state-run news channel PTV said on Monday.  Government spokesmen did not respond to requests from Reuters for comment. The government called in the military to tackle the protests after a police operation failed, but there was no sign of troops around protest camps on Sunday. The military said the army chief in one telephone call had advised Abbasi to resolve the protests peacefully. Tehreek-e-Labaik leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi on Monday described the army s role in ending the standoff.  The honorable chief of army staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, sent his special envoys to us. We said we do not want to talk to the government; they are our murderers,  Rizvi said.  So the general took personal interest and sent his team, saying  we will become the guarantors, and have your demands fulfilled . So we said,  All right. That is what we want.     For more than two weeks, Tehreek-e-Labaik activists have blocked the main road into the capital, Islamabad, in a protest that blamed law minister Hamid for changing the wording in an electoral oath. The party says the words  I believe , used to replace the clause  I solemnly swear  in a proclamation of Mohammad as the religion s last prophet, amount to blasphemy. The government blamed the change on a clerical error and swiftly restored the original format. Insulting Islam s prophet is punishable by death under Pakistani law, and blasphemy accusations stir such emotions that they are difficult to defend against. Even a rumor of blasphemy can spark mob violence, as in the case of a university student beaten to death in April. Labaik, one of two new ultra-religious political movements to reach prominence in recent months, has made defending the blasphemy laws a campaign centerpiece with some success. The party won a surprisingly strong 6 percent and 7.6 percent share of votes in two recent by-elections. Islamist parties are unlikely to win a majority in the elections expected next August, but could play a major role.   Giving in to the group s demands had hit the government s reputation and credibility, said political analyst Hasan Askari.  These protests will have emboldened this group, and they are going to assert themselves and put up candidates wherever they can in the next general election, or at least they will oppose the PML-N,  he added. The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party accused the government of bungling the efforts to remove the protesters and called for early elections. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: pakistani islamists call protests blasphemy claim govt backs downislamabad reuters a hardline pakistani islamic group called nationwide protests monday government met demand government minister accused blasphemy resign following weekend clashes police paralyzed major cities the leading nearly blockade capital islamabad thanked army chief helping resolve raising questions military role the new political party pakistan protesting small change wording electoral law changing religious oath simple declaration said amounted blasphemy the government climbdown seen embarrassment ruling pakistan muslim party ahead elections likely underline power religious groups nation million seven people killed nearly wounded police bid disperse protesters islamabad failed saturday sparring demonstrators wielding sticks iron rods block key roads motorways cities our main demand accepted ja ashram spokesman told reuters adding part agreement free dozens party workers arrested weekend crackdown our workers release process once done leave at nightfall monday protesters still place law minister said amid handed resignation prime minister shahid khan abbas take country situation news channel ptv said monday government spokesman respond requests reuters comment the government called military tackle protests police operation failed sign troops around protest camps sunday the military said army chief one telephone call advised abbas resolve protests peacefully leader khaki hussain rvi monday described army role ending standoff the honorable chief army staff general qatar saved baja sent special envoys us we said want talk government murderers rvi said so general took personal interest sent team saying become guarantees demands fulfilled so said all right that want for two weeks activists blocked main road capital islamabad protest blamed law minister amid changing wording electoral oath the party says words i believe used replace clause i solemnly swear proclamation mohammad religion last prophet amount blasphemy the government blamed change clerical error swiftly restored original format insulting islam prophet punishable death pakistani law blasphemy accusations stir emotions difficult defend even rumor blasphemy spark mob violence case university student beaten death april ablik one two new political movements reach prominence recent months made defending blasphemy laws campaign centerpiece success the party surprisingly strong percent percent share votes two recent islamic parties unlikely win majority elections expected next august could play major role giving group demands hit government reputation credibility said political analyst hasan asahi these protests emboldened group going assert put candidates wherever next general election least oppose added the opposition pakistan pti party accused government bundling efforts remove protesters called early elections worldnews