ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) called off its ‘long march’ on Saturday after it reached an agreement with the government.
Under the 12-point agreement reached between the governments and TLP, a Counter Blasphemy Wing will be set up in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), a filtration system would be installed for removing blasphemous and indecent content from social media, 7ATA will be applied against the accused arrested on the charges (295c) of blasphemy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs will write a letter to the American government for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, all notification of the PEMRA and the PTA against TLP would be de-notified and the government will quash all cases registered against TLP workers and leadership.
The other points of the agreement include that the Ministry of Interior will issue a letter regarding TLP, which will clarify that TLP is not a terrorist organisation and it is a political party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), all the restrictions imposed on the officials and workers of TLP whose name have been removed from the fourth schedule will lifted, and regarding the TLP demand to reduce petroleum products’ prices and provide relief to the people it has been agreed that improvement in the value of rupee will be 100 per cent transferred to the people, while on June 30, in the first phase as per the demand of TLP, the prices of petroleum products will be reduced and in the second phase will also be reduced on July 15.
As per the agreement, a joint committee will be set up which will consist of four members of TLP and representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the PTA, the FIA, Department of Information, and provincial governments for the implementation of the agreement.
After reaching the agreement, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced that the TLP has agreed to call off its long march after successful negotiations with the government.
During a joint media talk with TLP senior leader Shafiq Amini, the minister said that the government has accepted the demands of the TLP, including a reduction in the price of petrol.
The minister said that the case of Aafia Siddiqui is a national issue, and every Pakistani is saddened by her imprisonment. “Sister Fowzia Siddiqui met her a few days ago and the condition in which Aafia was kept is sad,” he added.
He urged that human rights organisations should take notice of it. The TLP demanded a cut in petroleum product prices. “Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has assured reduction in the price of petrol and wanted to resolve all issues in a peaceful manner,” he added.
The TLP leader said that they will now end their “Pakistan Bachao March” following three-day fruitful talks with the government. The government has accepted all demands including petrol price reduction.
Unlike the previous government, the present PDM government did not take the path of confrontation and resolved the matter peacefully, the TLP leader said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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