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ISLAMABAD (SINDH NEWS ONLINE): The federal government has decided to impose a ban on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under the anti-terrorism law, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said Wednesday.
The federal minister said the decision has been taken at the Punjab government’s request.
“We are forwarding a summary to the federal cabinet to impose a ban on the TLP,” Rasheed said in Islamabad, as protests were held across various cities of the country.
Protests by a religious party have caused problems for the masses in major cities across the country for the past two days and have claimed the lives of three people, including two policemen. Nearly 100 policemen have also been injured in clashes with the protesters.
Speaking about the TLP’s negotiations, Rasheed said the government wanted to table a resolution in the National Assembly and wanted to form a consensus on it but they (TLP) insisted on marching to the Faizabad Interchange.
“Our efforts to convince them failed. As far as the matter of Khatam-e-Nabwat is concerned, I am ready to give my life,” declared the minister.
He said miscreants had snatched a rifle from a police officer and used it to fire at others in one of the protests.
The minister defended the government, saying it intended to honour the agreement made with the TLP earlier.
Regarding the FIRs filed against protesters, Rasheed said they were all filed in accordance with the law.
“I have never supported this party nor had ever met Khadim Hussain Rizvi (former TLP chief),” the minister said, adding the ban has been imposed due to TLP’s “character” and not due to any any political compulsion.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has given approval to the summary prepared by the Ministry of Interior to ban Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Wednesday.
According to sources, the federal cabinet will approve the ban on TLP through a circular summary. This important decision will be made in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, speaking in TV program, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that everyone is on board on the issue of banning TLP. The decision was made with forethought because these people do not want to backtrack from the politics of sit-in.
Sheikh Rashid said that the issue of ban on TLP has been sent to the federal cabinet at the request of the Punjab government, adding that the ban will be imposed tomorrow or the day after. He said that the cabinet has representation from all four provinces.
To a question, the minister said that he had never been with TLP and had never met Khadim Hussain Rizvi. “I had stopped the Muslim League from making amendments in the assembly,” he said.
Eearlir, Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday said that the government will deal with an iron hand with those who take the law into their own hands.
He was chairing a meeting in Islamabad on to review the law and order, and the situation caused due to protest by a religious party.
The Minister directed the law enforcement agencies to ensure writ of the state at every cost.
He said motorways, G.T Road and other roads have been cleared for traffic. He praised Rangers for doing an excellent job in collaboration with police and the administration in this regard.
The Sindh Home Department on Tuesday issued orders to arrest three Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Karachi leaders over violation of law.
The home department has directed law enforcement agencies to arrest three leaders of TLP. The leader includes Maulana Abbas Qadri, Maulana Ghous Baghdadi and Zainul Abdin.
The Sindh home department has directed authorities to keep three leaders under arrest for 30 days. The three were accused of closing roads during religio-political party protests in Karachi.
The provincial home department also directed to prepare a list of other local TLP leaders accused of breaking the law and arrest them.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry Wednesday issued a stern warning to protesters who beat up police officers.
Protests by the banned TLP have caused problems for the masses in major cities across the country for the past two days and have claimed the lives of three people, including two policemen. Nearly 100 policemen have also been injured in clashes with the protesters.
In a tweet, Chaudhry said police and security institutions are the pride of the country, adding that throughout the world, those who wear the uniform are seen as symbols of the state’s honour.
“To uphold their respect and honour is the responsibility of each citizen,” he said, adding that those who disrespected police officers and security officials are “national criminals” and will be treated as such.
In an earlier tweet, Chaudhry had said the state would not be blackmailed at the hands of “groups” and would not continue to do so.
The minister said while democracy gave everyone the right to present their point of view, “no one can blackmail the state through the use of force”.
“Those who tortured police and [other security] institutions will be made an example,” he said.
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday strongly condemned violence in different parts of the country during the last three days.
The PPP chairman, in a statement, lamented the violence in “which two policemen among seven people were killed in different incidents”.
“This kind of violence, ransacking, vandalising public and private properties and mob-attacks on policemen could not be allowed to go unchecked,” the PPP chairman said.
Bilawal called for dealing with those involved in violence as per the law. “The gov[ernment] cannot be allowed to abdicate its responsibility.”
“This week’s naked violence shows that the selected regime has dragged the country into a deadly quagmire, where no one is safe … under the PTI regime, even the police seems to be in need of protection, as the govt has abandoned the people.”
The party chairman expressed sympathies with the martyred policemen as well as the innocent people who lost their lives in violence in Punjab and other parts of the country and stressed for best possible medical facilities to those wounded.
Protests of religious party workers continued on Thursday across different areas of Lahore. A group of charged protesters stormed the gate of the General Hospital Emergency and tried to break it open. The angry mob pelted stones at the gate, leaving police and security guards helpless.
According to sources, a policeman was guarding the public near the General Hospital in Lahore when he was severely beaten by religious party workers. The policeman fled for his life and took refuge inside the General Hospital. When the gate of the hospital was closed, angry protesters attacked and started vandalizing it.
For the third day in a row, the traffic system in Lahore and other cities has been severely affected due to these protests. People are facing severe problems due to closure of major roads in Lahore.
However, with the roads in Faisalabad and Rawalpindi now reopened, traffic has been restored while Hub River Road in Baldia Town of Karachi has also been opened for the general public.
A 12-year-old boy sustained injuries in firing as the religious party protesters clashed with police in Shahdara More area near Lahore on Tuesday night.
The injured boy was taken to hospital where doctors said he is in stable condition.
On the other hand, two police officials were martyred and 97 others, including officers, were injured in violence during protests by religious party workers in Lahore. The injured policemen and officers are being treated at various hospitals across the city.
According to reports, Constable Ali Imran, who was undergoing treatment at Mayo Hospital, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. The constable, who was stationed at Shalimar police station, got injured during the violence in Karol Ghati.
According to sources, 2 DSPs, 5 inspectors, 6 sub-inspectors, 6 ASIs, 12 head constables and 66 constables were among those injured during the violent protests by religious party workers.
At the direction of CCPO Lahore Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, SSP Admin Waqar Shoaib Qureshi visited various hospitals and met the injured personnel.
The SSP requested doctors to provide the best treatment to the injured policemen. Police officials said that they would spare no effort to protect the lives and property of the citizens.
The funeral prayers of Constable Muhammad Imran, who was martyred in the violence following protests by a religious party, were offered at Police Lines Qila Gujar Singh on Wednesday.
The funeral was attended by Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, DG Rangers Major General Amir Majeed and several senior officers. Constable Mohammad Imran was martyred by violent protesters at Karol Ghati on Tuesday.
Muhammad Imran was a resident of Batapur, he is survived by a widow, two sons and a daughter. CCPO Lahore Ghulam Mahmood Dogar and other officers expressed condolences to the family of the martyr and assured that they will be fully taken care of by the state.
Talking to media on the occasion, CCPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar said that martyrs are shining examples of upholding national security. The police have always sacrificed their lives to protect the lives and property of citizens, he added.
He said that he was proud to be the head of a force that has made sacrifices for the security of the nation, and whose sacrifices raised the honor of the department manifold.
The city police have prepared to launch a crackdown against far-right party demonstrations that have turned violent and vandalizing on Thursday in the metropolitan rendering roads and thoroughfares blockaded.
According to the details emerging from the grounds giving off battle-ground overtone, the mobs have reportedly vandalized at least one police mobile and charged at personnel with baton and sticks.
Police teams have been assigned the task to clear the roads of any obstruction laid by the protestors as personnel parties have begun amassing on the spots.
By tonight all blockades will have been cleared away, said Lahore police spokesperson.
According to the latest information, out of seven main avenues chocked, two have already been cleared by the personnel.
Bhogiwal Road, Ring Road, and Service Road have been declared clear by the police for traffic passage.
Separately in Karachi, the protestors of the same far-right religious party have once again taken hold of Hub River Road in Baldia Town suspending traffic of one of the crucial roads which connects Karachi to Hub.
