ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Tuesday has announced that the PTI-led federal government would table a resolution in National Assembly seeking expulsion of French ambassador and withdraw cases against the members of banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
The Interior Minister expressed his view in a video statement, which was issued after talks were held with the proscribed organization in Lahore. “The protest would be ended across Pakistan including the one outside the headquarters of the religiopolitical group,” he announced.
اسلام آباد۔ 20 اپریل
حکومت اور تحریک لبیک پاکستان کے درمیان مذاکرات کامیاب۔
وزارت داخلہ کی جانب سے اہم ویڈیو پیغام جاری.https://t.co/imkNgbg2d0 pic.twitter.com/pHaxAaztSS
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) April 20, 2021
Sheikh Rashid further said he would hold a press conference sometime later today to share details. “Talks will continue with them,” he added. Interior Minister also said all cases, including those filed under the fourth schedule, against the members of banned TLP will also be withdrawn.
The Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri met workers of the recently proscribed Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) on Monday night for the third round of talks.
The first round of talks between the Punjab government and workers of the banned party took place yesterday after day-long clashes between TLP workers and law enforcers. The second round concluded earlier on Monday evening.
The TLP has put forth four demands: the expulsion of the French ambassador over President Emmanuel Macron’s explicit backing of blasphemous cartoons, the release of party chief Saad Rizvi, the removal of the ban on the party and the release of activists arrested as well as the FIRs against them to be revoked.
Meanwhile, police registered a first information report (FIR) against 23 TLP workers for “kidnapping the DSP, causing damage to government property, spreading fear and terror in the area through firing, and throwing petrol bombs and acid-filled bottles inside the police station”.
In the FIR, the complainant Mohammad Waqas said that he was present inside the Nawankot police station when workers of the banned TLP gathered outside in a large number and started chanting slogans.