Pakistan govt, TLP reach agreement; group agrees to call off protests
The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which has, in recent days, staged violent protests across Pakistan demanding the release of its chief Saad Rizvi, as well as the expulsion of the French ambassador, on Sunday arrived at an agreement with the federal government to call of its protests and suspend its march to Islamabad. However, both sides refused to divulge the details of the agreement, which was finalised after protracted negotiations between the proscribed outfit’s senior leadership and a committee representing the Imran Khan government.
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Addressing a joint press conference, religious scholar Mufti Muneeb, a party to the dialogue, remarked that talks took place under an environment of “mutual trust.” He said, “The government of Pakistan and the TLP had a detailed discussion, and an agreement has been reached between the two sides. However, the details will be shared at an appropriate time.”
Urging the media to report on the development “positively,” he added that TLP chief Rizvi, who was arrested on April 12, was also in support of the deal. “A committee will be set up to oversee this matter. State minister for parliamentary affairs Ali Muhammad Khan will be its head, while Punjab law minister Raja Basharat will also be a member. From the Tehreek’s side, Mufti Ghulam Ghous Baghdadi and Hafeezullah Alavi will be on the panel,” Mureeb said.
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Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser led the government’s 12-member negotiation team, while the outlawed group was represented by Mufti Ghulam Abbas Faizi and Mufti Mohammed Ameer, among others.
This is for the second time this year when the TLP has protested across Pakistan, having taken to the streets in April. Both rounds of its agitation have resulted in street clashes with the police.
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