ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday ordered federal cabinet members to refrain from speaking about the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), several media outlets reported while quoting sources.
The prime minister’s directions came during a federal cabinet meeting, where he told the members that a steering committee had been constituted to deal with the proscribed group — and only the committee would overlook the matter.
During the meeting, the premier told the cabinet members that controversies should be avoided while commenting on the issues related to the banned TLP.
The prime minister told the cabinet members to back Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Federal Minister for Railways Azam Swati in matter related to Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) notice.
He told the Cabinet members to visit the election commission along with the ministers when they are summoned by the body. Chaudhry and Swati had earlier levelled serious allegations against the constitutional body, following which the ECP had served notices to both the federal ministers.
The electoral body had also sought evidence from Azam Swati and Fawad Chaudhry after they levelled allegations against the election body in a press conference.
PM meets coalition partners
In a meeting with the government’s coalition partners today, the prime minister took the lawmakers into confidence over the agreement with the proscribed TLP.
From MQM-P, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister Aminul Haque, and Federal Minister for Law Farogh Naseem attended the meeting, while Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid represented Awami League, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza represented GDA, Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi represented PML-Q.
The meeting’s participants deliberated upon calling a joint session of the parliament. The coalition partners also assured the premier that they would stand on the same page on important national issues, according to sources.
