ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that the government believes in dialogues but won’t be blackmailed by religious and political parties.
On a social media website Twitter, the federal minister said that the operation was conducted in Lahore after Police personnel and Rangers were abducted at gunpoint.
The information minister said the state will never be blackmailed by the banned armed groups. He said the Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the voice on every forum for the respect and sanctity of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).
https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1383789549399117827
On Sunday, the clashes occurred when police launched an operation to clear the area around Lahore’s Yateem Khana Chowk, where workers of the banned party have been staging a protest since earlier this week. At least three protesters were killed and several others injured during the clash, according to the party’s workers.
In a video message, a spokesperson for the banned party, Shafiq Ameeni, alleged that “forces suddenly attacked us at Lahore Markaz at 8 am today morning in which a large number of our workers have been martyred while many are injured”.
“We will bury those killed when the French ambassador exits the country and our agreement with the government is implemented,” he added. Meanwhile, a crackdown is underway against activists of the banned TLP in Islamabad and other parts of Punjab. Law enforcement agencies in Lahore had launched a crackdown against TLP activists ahead of the impending march to the federal capital.
The situation remains intense across the province as action is being taken against TLP leaders and activists. The action has been taken to maintain law and order after the spate of violent protests and attacks on police personnel across the country.
The TLP was formally banned by the federal government earlier this week after its supporters staged three days of violent protests across the country, resulting in deaths and injuries to several policemen.
On Friday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said the crackdown against the ultra-right-wing group would continue and “no one will be allowed to take the law into their hands at any cost”.
“We have declared them [TLP] a proscribed organization. We will also go for its dissolution, freeze their bank accounts and block passports as well,” he added.
The minister paid tribute to the personnel of police, Rangers and other provincial authorities for defeating the elements involved in spreading chaos in the country.
