ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said Sunday the incumbent government believed in talks and any defunct organisation could not blackmail the ruling party.
In press a statement issued here late Sunday, the minister said that police and Rangers personnel were abducted in Lahore and an operation was carried out after their abduction. Chaudhry Fawad said the state did not budge to the blackmailing tactics of the banned armed group.
The minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan as a devotee of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has raised the issue of Islamophobia on every forum.
Earlier, in an interview with a private television channel, the outspoken minister said the PTI government would continue discussion for resolving issues.
While expressing his dismay over the negative agenda of the defunct organisation, he said the law enforcement agencies (LEAs), had taken action against the workers of defunct organisation when they attacked Lahore’s Nawan Kot police station.
Several religious leaders call for peaceful strike today
He said the action was taken to recover abducted policemen from the mob. “No one would be allowed to challenge writ of the government,” the minister warned.
Commenting on Jahangir Tareen’s role in the party, he said Jahangir Tareen was still party member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. About accountability process, Chaudhry Fawad said the national institution for accountability was working independently and without discrimination.
The federal minister said Aleem Khan and Babar Awan who were the leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, had faced accountability courts. Appreciating the unbiased role of Imran Khan for religion, he said Imran Khan had raised voice for Muslim Ummah at all international fora.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was the true lover of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Replying to a question about corona virus, he said the third wave was more lethal than the previous two. He urged upon the people to adopt standard operating procedures to protect themselves and their families from the effects of the virus.
Government not negotiating with outlawed TLP
Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Sunday said the government was not negotiating with the outlawed TLP and no one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the government.
“No negotiation process is underway with the TLP. We have been trying to reach a consensus with them for the past two months but they are not ready to compromise on their demands,” he said while talking to media here on Sunday.
He explained when an organisation was proscribed, bank accounts and identity cards of its stakeholders were blocked and their movement was restricted. Regarding blockage of roads and highways across the country by the supporters of the proscribed organisation, the minister said 192 locations across the country had been sealed by the banned outfit, out of which 191 had been cleared.
“The situation is a bit tense at Yateem Khana Chowk in Lahore where the Jamia Masjid Rahmatul Lil Alameen is located,” he said adding, “Currently; all roads including the GT Road and the Murree Expressway are open for traffic”.
The minister said the GT Road and all main arteries of the country would remain open on April 20.
The minister was referring to the date as the banned outfit had planned a protest on April 20 over the alleged non-fulfillment of their demands.
The minister said blasphemy was unacceptable and Imran Khan also gave the message to the world that disrespect towards the prophet would not be tolerated.
The Interior Minister said TLP would be completely banned by April 20 and the government might make a decision regarding disbanding the party. “If this happens, the law ministry and Attorney General Farogh Naseem will be working on this and a reference will be filed.”
The policemen were martyred in violent activities while some person on their sides also lost lives, he said adding that no one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the government. Responding to a question, the minister hoped that Mr Tareen would not deflect from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf.
Earlier, Sheikh Rashid conducted the visit of Sasta Ramadan Bazaar in sector G-7/2. He said ten bazaars were set up by Capital Development Authority (CDA) and five by district administration during Ramadan. Moreover, he said 25 mobile bazaars were also operation in the holy month to provide relief to people.
The authorities have put security at high alert in the federal capital after the workers of the recently proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) clashed with the law-enforcers at Lahore’s Yateem Khana Chowk, the stronghold of the banned outfit.
The TLP workers allegedly tortured a Deputy Superintendent of Police and took him, as well as four other officials, hostage on Sunday. An operation that was launched against the TLP activists earlier in the day was temporarily halted later in the day. However, sensing the gravity of the situation and possible protests by the workers, the authorities in Islamabad raised the security level.
Heavy deployment of police and Rangers has been ensured at the entry and exit points of the city. “All the possible steps would be taken to ensure law and order in the city,” said the officials on Sunday.
They said that no one would be allowed to block any road, and security of life and property of the residents would be ensured, they added. On Sunday, police and Rangers vehicles were seen patrolling on the city roads.
The Punjab government on Saturday last had placed Saad Rizvi, the chief of the banned party TLP, on the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). In a notification, the Punjab Home Department said his assets have been frozen, and his national identity card has been blocked which means he cannot conduct transactions via banks, nor can he sell or purchase any property.
Several religious leaders have called for a nationwide shutter down and wheel jam strike against Lahore incident on Monday (today).
Addressing a press conference in Karachi along with other Ulema, Mufti Muneebur Rehman announced a peaceful nationwide shutter down and wheel jam strike against the Lahore incident.
He said he hoped traders and transporters would cooperate and shut their businesses and transport. Mufti Muneeb said he also hoped that businessmen will keep the stock exchange closed on Monday. He appealed to the public to remain peaceful and do not harm lives and properties of people. He said protesters should not destroy and harm public or private properties.
He said every Muslim was sad over brutalities inflicted on workers of the defunct party in Lahore. He was of the view that government should have fulfilled its promise of expelling the French ambassador from the country made with the defunct TLP. He asked govt to hold talks with workers of the defunct party and resolve issues.
On the other hand, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, has said that “we condemn the Lahore incident from the platform of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.”
Talking to reporters in Islamabad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that “we are standing by Mufti Muneeb in this matter.”
In this regard, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab, Firdous Ashiq Awan took to Twitter handle and detailed the entire scene happening in Lahore.
“The miscreants were armed with petrol bombs and acid bottles and attacked the cops at the police station,” she tweeted along with an official statement issued from the Punjab police on the entire episode.