Govt, TLP continue talks for ending violence

LAHORE: The government was engaged in a high-level talks with the TLP late Monday night to bring an end to the week-long violent anti-France protests across the country that left, according to unconfirmed reports, over two dozen people killed including four policemen while hundreds of people were wounded including dozens of policemen.

A government delegation was engaged with TLP leadership at an undisclosed place in Lahore late night led by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad who reached Lahore at night. Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, Adviser to PM Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat and other officials were also participating in the talks.

The negotiations were underway till the filing of this report and no word of any outcome was given by both sides to resolve the protests that sparked with the sudden arrest of Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi last week, the head of the TLP.

Earlier on Monday evening, the top government officials and TLP leaders were engaged in talks to resolve the matter. Before the official talks, an unofficial delegation of leaders of different religious parties met with Saad Rizvi in Kot Lakhpat Jail to resolve the issue by chalking out a midway solution. These leaders included Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC) president Dr Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair, Sunni Tehrik (ST) president Sarwat Ijaz Qadri, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) president Sahabzada Hamid Raza, Pir Khalid Sultan, Khwaja Ghulam Qutubuddin Faridi, Pir Nizamuddin Sialvi, Hamid Raza Sialkoti, and former PTI leader Sahabzada Jalil Sharaqpuri.

According to sources, the leaders discussed the ways and means to evolve a peaceful solution to the ongoing agitation by TLP against the government. They also discussed possibilities of convincing the TLP leadership and workers for ending the sit-in and protests on the roads. They also reportedly discussed the possibility of TLP’s conditions for giving up the demand of expelling the French ambassador. SIC President Hamid Raza told media that talks were encouraging and the nation would soon receive good news. He, however, asked the media not to speculate, warning that it would spoil the entire efforts to defuse the tension and resolve a highly sensitive matter.

In the initial round of talks held on the previous day, a government delegation led by Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and comprised law minister Raja Basharat, DG Rangers Punjab, IG punjab and other officials met with TLP leadership to discuss the release of some eleven police officials including a DSP who were taken hostage by angry mob which attacked Nawan kot police station.

The policemen were released in exchange of three TLP leaders in police custody, but their names were not known so far.