No cause of death has been announced for 54-year-old Rizvi. Rizvi had weaponized the ultra-sensitive issue of blasphemy in the Muslim-majority nation and radicalized large swathes of Punjab, opening a new chapter in Pakistan’s violent confrontation with extremism. Since 2017, Rizvi and the TLP have succeeded in dictating terms to successive governments who fear sparking any backlash from religious groups. The cleric forced the resignation of a federal minister and the firing of a leading economics advisor even as Pakistan’s economy cratered. His lifeline was his narrative and his narrative was still intact,” security analyst Amir Rana told AFP.

Source: Manila Times November 21, 2020 16:07 UTC