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ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Monday asserted that the federal government would fulfil commitments made with proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) during negotiations a day earlier.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Rashid said the matters in this regard would be discus during a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s return from Saudi Arabia.
“I have found TLP’s incarcerated chief, Saad Rizvi, to be “very cooperative” compared to other leaders of the proscribed organization,” the interior minister said, adding that the government’s negotiations with the TLP went “very well”.
Giving details about the negotiations, he said he had requested to not be included in the government’s negotiating committee, “but the request was rejected on the insistence of Rizvi and another TLP leader, Ghulam Ghaus Baghdadi”.
“There is information that one road has been opened which is very good. We will fulfil the promises we made to them,” he added. Rashid said the premier 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.
The interior minister further said he wants to conclude the matter once and for all because “something new happens every six months and people face difficulties”. “It is my wish that matters conclude in the way they have been discussed with the TLP,” he added.
Regarding Rizvi’s release, Rashid 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,” he added.
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”.
Govt frees 350 TLP workers
The federal government released more than 350 activists of the TLP, besides announcing that the cases against others would be withdrawn by Wednesday (Oct 27).
The government also assured the TLP leaders of reviewing the Fourth Schedule list containing their names and working on a plan to release Saad Rizvi, Ahmed announced on Sunday.
The interior minister later tweeted, “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.”
