Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Tuesday said the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leadership would call off its protest as the government has accepted their major demands.
Addressing a presser, he said that the report on the dialogue with the TLP leadership has been submitted to Prime Minister Imran Khan and it has also been discussed in a meeting held in the presence of civil and military leadership, and provincial chief secretaries and senior police officials.
The meeting has shown willingness to accept all the demands of TLP, he said, adding that, “they have promised to open all roads today [Tuesday] so now we are waiting for this as we have no reservations on any of their demand except which is related with the French embassy.”
He said it is their commitment to open roads by Tuesday midnight. “I will make contact with them once again today and tomorrow also. I want a permanent solution to this issue and I want to wind up this matter rather to further linger on.”
He hoped that the TLP leadership would understand the situation as enemies are hatching conspiracies against Pakistan to impose sanctions while many Pakistanis are working abroad.
He said it is their sixth sit-in as they held their first sit-in on November 8, 2017 and the fifth in April this year.
He made it clear that the government is making sincere efforts to get positive results from these talks. “We want peace in the country. It is our endeavour to settle all the matters with TLP as early as possible through dialogue.”
He said majority of TLP workers have been released while the government is ready to discuss the issue of the remaining workers who are in jails, besides the matter of the fourth schedule. “We want them to review their only one demand related with the French embassy,” he added.
He said despite the martyrdom of two policemen, the government still wants to resolve this issue with mutual understanding and cooperation.
Replying to a question, he said the cabinet has no issue with any of their demand except which is related to the French embassy keeping in view the international scenario.
He said the present government is working on several options to control inflation on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said the prime minister is seriously considering this issue as he wants to address this issue as early as possible in a bid to give a sigh of relief to the people.
He said the inflation is linked with the increased oil prices in the international markets, adding that several countries of the world are facing the same issue.
He said the military leadership and elected political leadership are on the same page as after today’s notification [regarding the appointment of ISI DG], there is no further room for any speculation.
