Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad announced early Tuesday that the talks between the government and the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have been successful. In a video statement, Sheikh Rasheed said that the government would table a resolution in the National Assembly today seeking the expulsion of the French ambassador and withdrawal of cases against the leaders and activists of the banned TLP. “After detailed discussions with TLP it has been agreed that the government will table the resolution in the National Assembly today,” Sheikh Rasheed said in the video message. The National Assembly session will start at 3pm today. A government delegation, comprising the interior minister, Minister for Religious Affairs Dr Noorul Haq Qadri, SAPM Tahir Ashrafi, Punjab Governor Mohammad Sarwar and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, held talks with the members of the proscribed organisation in Lahore.
The interior minister said the protests across Pakistan would end including the one outside the headquarters of the religio-political group. Sheikh Rasheed said he would hold a press conference today or tomorrow to share details. “Talks will continue with them.” The minister said that all cases, including those filed under the fourth schedule, against the members of banned TLP will also be withdrawn. Earlier, it was reported that a deadlock between the government and the recently proscribed TLP over the ongoing protests across the country continued, as the banned party demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, the expulsion of the French ambassador to Pakistan, and immediate release of party chief Syed Saad Hussain Rizvi as well as the workers. During the third round of talks between the banned party’s senior leaders and the government delegation late Monday night, deliberations once again halted as the government had refused to accept their demand of interior minister’s resignation and expulsion of the French ambassador. TLP, yesterday, released all abducted officials of law enforcement agencies (LEA) following two rounds of talks among central leadership of the banned outfit and the government party.
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