ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on Saturday that he hopes the details of the government’s recent agreement with the recently de-proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) would come out within seven to 10 days.
Talking to the media here, the interior minister set a timeframe for the announcement of the details, saying: “An agreement has been decided with the TLP. Whatever is in that agreement will come out to the people in a few days.”
“The hope is that whatever their matters have been decided, [their details] will come out in seven to 10 days and they will be positive,” he added.
It merits mention that on Oct 31, the government had reached an agreement with the previously banned outfit after almost two weeks of clashes that left at least seven policemen dead and scores injured on both sides.
When making the announcement, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, the designated mediator, had not shared any details, only saying that the specifics of the agreement would come to light at an “appropriate time”.
Rashid told the media that he was not an active part of the agreement process, which he said was negotiated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Punjab government, adding that he had relayed the same to TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi.
It is pertinent to mention here that it was Rizvi’s continued incarceration that had triggered TLP’s protest before the outfit added to its demands the expulsion of France’s ambassador over the publication of caricatures depicting the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in a French satirical magazine. Mufti Muneeb had later denied that the TLP was seeking the French ambassador’s expulsion.
In his media talk today, Rashid said the interior ministry had proscribed the TLP on the Punjab government’s recommendation, and after it withdrew its decision, a summary was sent to the cabinet and the group’s proscribed status was revoked.
The interior minister was also questioned on Friday’s meeting between PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The minister downplayed the meeting, saying that the opposition would only tire itself out with any movements against the government at this time.
The interior minister was also dismissive of the government’s reported disagreements with its coalition partners.
