Punjab govt releases over 850 TLP workers after agreement

The Punjab government has released 869 workers of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Aaj News reported on Tuesday.

The workers released had no cases against them, the Punjab Home Department said. The statement further said that those whose names are in the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) are not being released.

At least 50 workers were also released from Adiala Jail. The release comes after members of the negotiating team from the government side claimed that they had reached an agreement with TLP.

Meanwhile, a Federal Cabinet meeting is being held today with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair. The cabinet will discuss political implications of the "confidential" agreement with proscribed TLP in the presence of prominent religious leaders including Mufti Muneebur-Rehman.

Cabinet to discuss 'deal with TLP' today

The cabinet will also be briefed about the economic and political situation as well as matters related to Afghanistan.

Deadly clashes between police and TLP

At least four police officials were martyred while several suffered injuries when TLP workers clashed with the police near Muridke and Sadhuke on Wednesday.

Fierce clashes broke out after the TLP tried to resume its march on Islamabad to pressurise the government to accept its demands.

Inspector General of Punjab Police Rao Sardar said the charged mob of the proscribed organisation martyred four police officials and injured 263 others.

TLP did not demand French embassy shutdown: Mufti Muneeb

He claimed that the TLP activists were armed with automatic weapons and shot straight at the police. The IGP added that the use of arms against the law-enforcement agencies by the banned outfit is a matter of serious concern.

The backdrop

Following the April clashes in which TLP activists blocked highways, railways, and access routes to cities and battled police, the authorities arrested their leader, Saad Hussain Rizvi, and banned the TLP.

Authorities had been trying to negotiate with the TLP, which rallied its supporters outside its Lahore headquarters, but negotiations broke down and the TLP called on supporters from around Pakistan to converge on the capital Islamabad.