KARACHI, (DNA) – Renowned cleric Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman warned the government on Saturday against taking any stern action against the Tehreek-e-Labbaik protesters who have blocked the Faizabad Interchange for the last two weeks.

Speaking to reporters in Karachi, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chairman said he was aware of the hardships being faced by the public because of the sit-in.

However, he added that the protesters’  demands were valid.

“The protesters aren’t hired by a political party but are pious Muslims, who firmly believed in Khatm-e-Nabuwat (the finality of the Prophet-hood),” he said, taking a jibe at politicians.

He advised the government to negotiate with the protesters by sending a delegation to them and “accepting their demands”.

The mufti said other than government officials, no one else including ulema and mashaikh (clerics) had the authority to negotiate with the protesters. He also advised the protesters to adopt a reconciliatory path.

Expressing his annoyance over the lack of media coverage of the Faizabad sit-in, Muneeb said Pemra – the electronic media watchdog – should take steps to stop the airing of those Ramazan TV shows, which he claimed were damaging Islam.

The Islamabad administration told the protesters on Friday to end their sit-in by 10am on Saturday otherwise a a joint operation by Rangers, Frontier Constabulary and police would be carried out to disperse them.

However, after the deadline expired earlier today, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal postponed the operation by another 24 hours. In a bid to persuade the protesters to end their sit-in peacefully, Iqbal also appealed to religious leaders to help the government resolve the issue.