Pakistani cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi dies at 54


Days after signing an agreement with the Pakistani government and canceling a sit-in by his party’s supporters that had blocked a major crossing between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, died. in Lahore. He was 54 years old.

The cause of death of the Pakistani cleric is unknown. Some media reports hinted that he had symptoms similar to Covid-19, although that could not be verified.

TLP supporters paralyzed parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi last week when they staged a sit-in to demand the expulsion of the French ambassador to Pakistan and the withdrawal of his Pakistani counterpart in Paris.

The sit-in was canceled after Rizvi and Imran Khan’s administration ministers signed an understanding that took note of their demands.

However, on Thursday, Rizvi fell ill and died shortly after. According to party spokesman Muhammad Hamza, the TLP chief had been having difficulty breathing and had a fever since Wednesday.

The spokesperson added that Rizvi was at his madrasa on Multan Road when his condition deteriorated Thursday night. He was later rushed to the Farooq hospital in the city of Iqbal, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was later taken to Sheikh Zayed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

There was some confusion about his death after some reports on social media suggested that Rizvi had resumed breathing and had only been unconscious for a while.

A party spokesperson confirmed this, but added that shortly after, the TLP leader had stopped breathing and was pronounced dead.

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