ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that the talks between the government and the banned Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) are moving in the right direction, adding that all roads will be opened and the protesters will be allowed to remain on the streets till Tuesday evening.
In a significant development last night, the government announced to have made a breakthrough in the dialogue between the government and the banned outfit aimed at preventing further violent clashes between TLP protesters and police and resolving issues related to the detention of TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi.
A three-member team comprising Ministers for Interior Sheikh Rashid, Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri and Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur arrived in the city to hold dialogue with the TLP leadership. The two-member Punjab government team comprising Law Minister Raja Basharat and Minister for Prosecution Chaudhry Zaheeruddin joined to formulate a strategy.
Qadri said the talks with the protestors are successful and they will be allowed to continue their sit-in till Tuesday evening after which all blocked routes will be reopened. He said the government has listened to the demands of the organisation and they will be alllowed to protest peacefully. He assured that all demands will be met in accordance with the law.
A day earlier, Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad chaired a meeting to review law and order situation at Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA) Headquarter.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noor ul Haq Qadri, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Provincial Law Minister Raja Basharat, Provincial Minister Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din, Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, Punjab IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Home and Commissioner Lahore.
The meeting reviewed the overall law and order situation in the country, and Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) briefed the ministers on current law and order situation, as well as the strategy of law enforcement agencies.
The Interior Minister assessed various aspects of the protest of a banned organization and sought suggestions of all the departments concerned regarding future line of action. The meeting also considered the matters pertaining to dialogue with the banned organization, and it was agreed that all possible measures would put in order to maintain peace in the country.
The government had beefed up security in the federal capital ahead of the impending march by TLP activists. The Ministry of Interior has summoned an additional force of 30,000 police personnel from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, who will be equipped with anti-riot gear.
In Rawalpindi, the road leading to Faizabad remains blocked while containers have been placed on Murree Road. In Lahore, clashes between protesters and police continued for a second day, injuring six law enforcement personnel.
The government has dug up a trench on GT Road near Gujranwala in response to an announcement by the banned TLP that they will set out on a long march towards Islamabad. A deep and long pit was dug with the help of cranes while the roads were also blocked by placing containers. All routes leading to and from Gujranwala have been blocked.
