Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Monday said that the government will fulfil the commitments made with the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
He went on to say that the matter would be discussed during a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s return from Saudi Arabia.
While addressing a presser in Islamabad, he said he had found the TLP’s incarcerated chief, Saad Rizvi, to be “very cooperative” compared to other leaders of the proscribed organisation.
He added that “We are keeping our word. There is information that one road has been opened which is very good. We will fulfil the promises we made to them.”
He further revealed that the PM had instructed his principal secretary before leaving for the visit to ask the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to unfreeze the accounts of TLP madressahs and to allow them to open new ones.
It would be better that way because the FBR would know about the funds being received and spent by the madressahs, he explained .
The minister further stated that he wanted to conclude the matter once and for all because “something new happens every six months and people face difficulties” — a reference to the TLP’s frequent protests which brought life in the twin cities to a halt.
“It is my wish that matters conclude in the way they have been discussed with the TLP. We will fulfil our commitments. If something bad happens somewhere, what can I do?”
While responding to a question pertaining to Rizvi’s release, the interior minister said there were legal lacunae that the TLP chief “understands”.
“A lot of other people insist on [freeing him] right now. Decisions cannot be taken right now. There is a legal process that we will follow. We will talk to the prime minister after his return tomorrow,” he reiterated.
Replying to another question about the damage caused during TLP protests, Ahmed said: “Vandalism is illegal. No one should cause damage because Pakistani organisations have been banned internationally.
“I asked Saad Rizvi […] I met him twice […] that France is heading the European Union right now and [is] against our atomic technology and missile system. We are the Muslim world’s biggest power. There is talk of sanctions in America, there is one point left to be fulfilled in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), [and] there are economic crises. In this situation, TLP should also understand.”
Ahmed concluded by stating that he had signed an agreement with the TLP and would present it in the National Assembly.
The interior minister later tweeted that “We have released 350 TLP workers up to now and we are still waiting to open both sides of road of Muridke as per the decision with the TLP.
“Perhaps the people will say that the state has surrendered. But it is not the job of the state to use the stick (force),” the minister said, explaining that the duty of the state was to find a path of reconciliation. “This is my viewpoint as the interior minister,” he quickly added.
Earlier on Saturday, the relatively less-equipped and poorly trained workers of the proscribed TLP had bulldozed all security layers of the Lahore and Sheikhupura police and entered Gujranwala. After leaving Lahore, they had slowed down and decided to spend the night in Muridke. Three policemen and two workers of the banned outfit had been killed on Friday when fierce clashes erupted between the protesters and police at Chauburji Chowk in Lahore.
