Govt has 48 hours to resolve Islamabad sit-in issue

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that some elements want to create Lal Mosque or Model Town like situation in the capital.

He was talking to media after court appearance in the Faizabad sit-in case.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday had directed the administration to get the Faizabad interchange vacated from the protesters of Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) till Saturday.

Following the orders, the government held several round of talks with the protesters but the religious party refused to wrap up their sit-in.

The protesters of TLYRA have been occupying the Faizabad interchange since November 6 causing sever disturbance to the daily life of Islamabad/Rawalpindi residents.

The interior minister pleaded the court to give more time to implement the order. On this, the IHC gave 48 hours more to the city administration to evict the protesters.

Iqbal added that the administration is fully committed to ending this peacefully. Use of force may led to bloodshed, he said adding that we have convened a meeting of religious scholars today to discuss the matter and we are hopeful to get a breakthrough within 24 to 48 hours.

The minister maintained that there was no reason for the protest when the parliament had already met their demand of amending Khatm-i-Naboowat (finality of prophethood) declaration public office holders are required to make. ‘The country cannot afford this any longer as the enemies are using this crisis to defame Pakistan globally.’