Govt claims TLP protest called off

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Sunday declared that the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) had decided to call off its protest after prolonged negotiations in Islamabad.

However, the TLP leadership gave the impression that the protest had not been called off. Sources in the TLP told The News that the final decision would be made after a meeting with their leadership.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noor ul Haq Qadri led the government delegation, while the TLP six-member delegation was led by Sahibzada Saad Rizvi, son of Khadim Hussain Rizvi, and eight other leaders.

Earlier, Mohammad Abdulla Hamid Gul held a two-hour-long meeting with Khadim Rizvi. The details of the agreement signed by both the parties have not been released.

Meanwhile, hundreds of TLP angry protesters finally took control of the Faizabad Flyover and Islamabad Expressway to stage a sit-in following a heavy clash with the law enforcing forces. Over 250 people, including protesters and policemen, sustained serious and minor injuries during the clash and were

Meanwhile, hundreds of TLP angry protesters finally took control of the Faizabad Flyover and Islamabad Expressway to stage a sit-in following a heavy clash with the law enforcing forces. “The second day aggression from the mob was more treacherous than yesterday,” remarked a police officer commanding the Rawalpindi police contingent while talking to his colleague.

Over 250 people, including protesters and policemen, sustained serious and minor injuries during the clash and were shifted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital and other private hospitals. “A precise figure cannot be estimated at this stage; however, the rough estimate is about 300,” an officer said when asked.

Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies of the Punjab and federal capital territory – Rawalpindi and Islamabad – tried to intercept the mob marching towards their declared destination of Faizabad from different directions but the forces failed to stop them.

In the violent protest demonstration, the angry mob ransacked the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The TLP activists initiated clash with the police and started pelting stones when the forces appeared on the interchange at about 9am.

The police retaliated and fired hundreds of teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Consequently, the mob scattered and took shelter at safer places but didn’t disperse. The mob paralyzed the communication system as well as the movement between the twin cities. People travelling between Rawalpindi and Islamabad faced difficulties in crossing the Faizabad flyover.

Many students failed to reach the examination centres. The mob had already stocked stones and bricks to counter the police attack. Thousands of TLP activists occupied the Islamabad Highway, Faizabad Flyover, Murree Road, IJP Road and other arteries around Faizabad and pelted stones at the police.

The police arrested about 100 protesting people and shifted them to the lockups of different police stations, a police officer said. The Punjab police, in the second phase of the battle, called in water cannons to disperse the mob. The water cannons were installed at different places.

The Punjab police were ready to conduct the final phase of the clash and to disperse the mob at every cost after mid-night. Equipped with the required stuff, they were all set for the operation.

Heavy contingents of police, anti-riot force, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies and jail vans were ready to shift the arrested people to lockups, while the protesting people gathered batons, iron rods and stones and bricks around them.

An official of the ICT police said the Rawalpindi police adopted a wrong strategy and pushed the mob in the jurisdiction of federal capital causing problems to them. The TLP leadership called for breaking diplomatic relations with France and closure of the French embassy in Islamabad.