PM Imran Khan likely to inform nation about govt's deal with TLP tomorrow

Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to inform the nation about a clandestine agreement that the government and proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have recently reached, sources said Tuesday. 

Sources privy to the matter told Geo News that the premier will likely address the nation to discuss the ongoing political turmoil and economic and security situation in the country.

The development occurred after the government began implementing the deal it had struck with the proscribed organisation. Over 800 supporters of the outfit had reportedly been released in Punjab under the implementation.

PM Imran Khan meets coalition members

The prime minister, according to sources, took lawmakers into confidence over the agreement with the proscribed TLP at a meeting with the government's coalition partners earlier in the day. 

The meeting was attended by MQM-P's Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Information and Technology Aminul Haque, and Federal Minister for Law Farogh Naseem.

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed represented Awami League, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza represented GDA, Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi represented PML-Q in the coalition.

The meeting's participants deliberated upon calling a joint session of the parliament. The coalition partners also assured the premier that they would stand on the same page on important national issues, according to sources.

'Only steering committee to overlook TLP matter'

Separately, in a cabinet meeting earlier in the day, PM Imran Khan ordered federal cabinet members to refrain from speaking about the proscribed TLP, sources informed Geo News.

The prime minister's directions came during a federal cabinet meeting, where he told the members that a steering committee had been constituted to deal with the proscribed group — and only the committee would overlook the matter.

The prime minister told the cabinet members to back Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Federal Minister for Railways Azam Swati.

He told them to visit the election commission along with the ministers when they are summoned by the body.

Chaudhry and Swati had earlier levelled serious allegations against the constitutional body, following which the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had served notices to both the federal ministers.