Middle East

Funeral of Radical Pakistani Cleric Attracts Massive Turnout

Khadim Hussein Rizvi has long defended Pakistan's blasphemy law and led protests against publishing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

Funeral of Radical Pakistani Cleric Attracts Massive Turnout
Waleed Ahmed / AP
SMS

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Pakistan for the funeral of a hard-line Islamic cleric who has long defended the country's blasphemy law. 

Khadim Hussein Rizvi was an extremist who called for the death penalty for anyone that insulted Islam. 

More recently, he led widespread protests against French caricatures depicting the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. 

After the cartoons were republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, violent and deadly attacks followed.