Pakistani protesters call off march after Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders cancels Prophet Muhammad cartoon competition

Islamabad: Thousands of Pakistan’s hard-line Islamists have called off their rally after reaching near Islamabad following the cancellation of a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest by a Dutch anti-Muslim lawmaker. [caption id=“attachment_5086021” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Pakistani protesters demonstrate to condemn the planned anti-Islam cartoon contest, in Karachi, Pakistan. AP[/caption] The far-right opposition politician Geert Wilders on Thursday said he cancelled the cartoon contest following death threats and concerns other people could be put at risk. The decision prompted Khadim Hussain Rizvi, a firebrand Pakistani cleric, to end his march on Friday. It began on Wednesday from the eastern city of Lahore. Rizvi had planned to stage a sit-in to force the Pakistani government to sever diplomatic ties with the Netherlands over the contest. Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims.