The interior ministry announced on Saturday it would register cases against all those "miscreants who under the guise of peaceful protests caused destruction to property and harmed helpless citizens" during the three-day protests against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi.

In a statement, the ministry said it respects the ulema's stance that they had no involvement in any of the destruction which they too had attributed to "miscreant elements".

Steps are being taken to identify these miscreants, the statement added.

The ministry also said the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) cybercrime wing and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have both been directed to investigate propaganda circulated on social media to incite hate.

Additionally, the chairman of the cybercrime wing along with the PTA chairman have been instructed to obtain "the forensic data of the miscreants".

"The interior ministry will also initiate criminal proceedings against all those who spread extremist and hateful propaganda on social media," the statement said.

To this end, all camera footage will be analysed so these individuals can be identified.

"All the miscreant elements identified will be arrested and cases registered against them," the ministry has stated.

The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religiopolitical parties had launched countrywide protests on Wednesday after the Supreme Court acquitted Aasia Bibi, who had been on death row for the past nine years on blasphemy charges.

Last night, the government and the TLP had signed a deal to conclude the latter's nationwide protest. One of the concessions the government agreed to was to release all people picked up in connection with the protests starting October 30.

Sindh Police to take 'strict action' in future

Meanwhile, the Sindh Police have decided to take strict action and register First Information Reports (FIRs) against ‘illegal’ sit-ins, protests and rallies on roads and highways in future because of the hardships such activities cause to citizens, who remain stuck in traffic jams for hours.

This decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Syed Kaleem Imam on Saturday at Central Police Office.

“Whatever happened during the last five days... I feel great regret over it,” the provincial police chief was quoted as having said in the meeting.

“If any rally or protest is taken out anywhere in Sindh for whatever cause, be it against a lack of civic facilities or any other issue, without seeking mandatory permission from the district administration and other authorities, strict action would be taken against the organisers of such protests,” the IG vowed.

Similarly, protests on highways and the Lyari Expressway will not be allowed as such rallies trigger prolonged traffic jams.

“Sharea Faisal will not be allowed to be blocked at any cost in the future,” the IG declared.

In an apparent reference to the current law and order situation in the country, IG Imam directed all Additional IGs, DIGs and other officers to put anti-riots and reserve platoons on red alert to meet any eventuality.

A senior official privy to the meeting told Dawn on condition of anonymity that police authorities have decided to register cases against the organisers of this week's sit-ins over charges of riots and damaging property on behalf of the state or on the complaints of aggrieved persons whose properties were damaged.

The officer pointed out that Korangi police station had already registered a case on a complaint of the watchman of a factory in the area, after around 15-16 protesters tried to ‘forcibly’ shut the industrial unit and resorted to riots on Friday.

Two of the protesters have been arrested, the officer revealed.