–Govt agrees to drop all cases against TLP workers

LAHORE: The Punjab government has capitulated to the demands of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) after a handful of supporters of TLP leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi— a proclaimed offender in at least 14 cases— took to streets on Thursday.

TLP leader Rizvi, who had been holding a sit-in at Lahore’s Data Darbar since April 2, to pressurise the government into accepting his demands had ordered his supporters to come out on streets after the TLP deadline to the government ended.

Subsequently, the situation spilled over with the TLP members blocking major roads and highways in various cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad.

Following the protests, the government agreed to hold negotiations with the TLP which led to a breakthrough and a settlement was reached to end the protest.

Making an announcement to end the protest in the early morning on Friday, TLP Chairperson Pir Afzal Qadri said the government has agreed to fulfill the terms of the Faizabad agreement that was brokered last year. He further claimed that the government had agreed to drop the cases registered against TLP leaders and workers.

The time and the nature of the settlement have raised several questions over the intentions of the government as it accepted all the conditions of a religious faction led by a convict. According to analysts, the provincial government accepting all demands of the party just after an 11-hour protest hints at government’s attempt to gain political mileage out of the issue.

According to the draft of the agreement signed between the two parties, the copy of Raja Zafarul Haq report will be made public; a notification would be issued regarding the use of loudspeakers; an inquiry board would be formed to probe into the Faizabad incident that would also two members of the TLP.” Additionally, the agreement stated that Rana Sanaullah would have to appear before seven clerics to affirm his faith.

It may be noted here that the TLP chief, Rizvi, had been declared proclaimed offender by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after he repeatedly failed to appear before the court in cases pertaining to the Faizabad sit-in. Moreover, the police had also failed to arrest the cleric with the Punjab government spokesperson admitting that the government was finding it hard to arrest the cleric.

Commenting on the curious development, activist Jibran Nasir said the government has accepted the demands of TLP just seeking its own interest in wake of upcoming general elections.

Speaking to Pakistan Today, he said that this the government has lost a lot in this agreement with Rizvi. “The government in fact paved Rizvi’s way to hold public rallies ahead of general elections,” he said, adding that the repercussions will be faced by the state in future.

Pakistan Today tried to approach various government representatives over the issue, but all attempts remained in vain. Punjab government Spokesperson Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan remained busy in a meeting in Islamabad, while Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Zaeem Hussain Qadri’s mobile phones were powered off.

However, speaking to a local newspaper, Malik Ahmad Khan had said that the only sticking point was court orders which had put the legality of the agreement under question and declared TLP leaders proclaimed offenders. This area would require directives from the court and the government would take up the matter with the court. The rest has been agreed upon and the ball is now in the court of the TLP, he went on to add.

Online ads: the Sadiqabad Police in Rawalpindi on Friday registered a case against the security personnel for launching crackdown against the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) protestors at Faizabad Interchange.

In this connection, Muhammad Hafizullah Jan, a resident of People’s Colony, approached the police on April 12 and registered a case against the police personnel under sections 324, 302 and 427. However, there was no political leader, police and high ups of the paramilitary forces nominated in the application.

The applicant said that in November last year, the activists of the Tehreek-e-Labaik held a ‘peaceful’ sit-in in which a large number of ‘religious scholars’ participated. The administration along with the security forces launched a crackdown against the ‘peaceful’ party workers, killing seven and injuring dozens of others.