Govt claims success in talks with TLP: Resolution tabled in NA as TLP calls off protest

ISLAMABAD: The banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Tuesday called off its sit-in after successful negotiations with a government team led by Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad.

The other members of the government team included Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, adviser to the PM Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat and officials concerned.

Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad, who led the government side during talks with the TLP chief Saad Rizvi, read out the agreement in a tweet Tuesday morning. Shaikh said it was decided that the government would table a resolution in the parliament to decide the issue of expelling the French ambassador.

He said the TLP workers would give up their sit-ins and remove roadblocks, especially on Multan Road, Lahore. He said cases against the TLP leadership and workers, including their inclusion in the Fourth Schedule and the clamping of ban would be withdrawn in due course and their detained workers would be released.

According to Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, a final deal between the TLP and the government was struck on Tuesday after which the promise to present a resolution in parliament to discuss whether or not the French envoy must be sent back was fulfilled, reports Geo News.

Shafiq Amini, who led the talks from the TLP side, announced end to their protest. The members of the TLP Shura (council) were also present. "The government made good on its promise by presenting the resolution in the parliament. Now we do not need to protest anymore," Amini said.

He said protests in Lahore, as well as all other places, had been called off. As the announcement was made, roads outside the site of the main sit-in in Lahore were opened to traffic and the TLP workers began to disperse.

Speaking about their other demands presented to the government, Amini claimed that there had also been "positive" developments on those fronts. He said the central leadership was reviewing all the progress made.

Muhammad Anis reports: Meanwhile, a private member moved a resolution in the National Assembly demanding a debate on expulsion of the French ambassador in protest against the publication of blasphemous sketches in France.

Officially, the government did not own the resolution moved by the private member Muhammad Amjad Khan.

On the opposition’s suggestion, Speaker Asad Qaiser deferred the debate [on the resolution] till Wednesday (today). Amjad Khan also demanded that all the western countries, particularly France, should be apprised of the sensitivity of the matter.

As the PML-N and JUI-F decided to attend the proceedings, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) opted to stay out of the House. “It is your mess PM. Clean up or go home,” Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said in a message posted on the social media.

He said the prime minister did not make a statement in the House and never took the assembly into confidence at any stage adding that the PTI was hiding behind the National Assembly.

“Agreement was not brought in the House, then banned, people killed, policemen injured and internet banned,” Bilawal said in the tweet. The resolution also strongly condemned the French president for patronizing the blasphemous act of a magazine.

The opposition also protested that the resolution had been moved by a private member and not by the government. “The resolution should have been moved by the prime minister or cabinet members,” Ahsan Iqbal said, adding that the government did not own the resolution.

The resolution also observed that the issues relating to international affairs should be resolved by the government and that no group could exert its pressure in this regard. The resolution also recommended that the districts administrations should allocate a specified venue for protests so that the routine life of the common man was not disturbed.

The resolution also called upon the government to hold detailed consultations with all the Muslim countries so that the issue could be taken up together at all the international forums.

The resolution also recommended constitution of a special committee of the House having members from all the parties to consider it.

The recommendation, however, invited a strong protest from the opposition leading to an exchange of bitter remarks between Speaker Asad Qaiser and PMLN leader and former prime minister Shahid Khan Abbasi.

Abbasi stood before the dais of the speaker even after he was allowed to speak on the resolution. “Don’t you feel ashamed?” said Abbasi addressing the speaker. Speaking angrily, he threatened to hit the speaker with a shoe.

The speaker asked Abbasi to remain in his limits and said he could also respond to him in the same tone. He said the attitude of Abbasi had always been objectionable and rude. On one occasion, Abbasi asked the speaker to learn how to run the House proceedings.

The House approved the constitution of a special committee to consider the resolution. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan moved the motion to authorise the speaker to constitute a special committee, comprising members from all the parties proportionate to their membership in the House.

Taking the floor, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi regretted that the issue of sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) on which there could be no two opinions, was being made controversial in the House.

“This resolution should have been moved unanimously,” he said, adding that the opposition needed an hour to read the resolution which previously was not provided to them. He observed that the resolution was insufficient and could not serve the purpose.

“A special committee is not required rather there should be a committee of the whole House,” he said. Abbasi said a new resolution should be moved in the House after consultation and with consensus of the opposition parties.

Ali Muhammad said the resolution had been moved by a private member and the government could not change it. “The resolution has been moved in the light of agreement reached with TLP,” he added.

Maulana Asad Mahmood of JUI-F said the prime minister added fuel to the fire in his speech on the issue but did not come to the House. He asked which thing had forced the government to impose restrictions on the media to cover the TLP protest demonstrations countrywide and shedding of blood of innocent its workers.

He also condemned torture of TLP workers and their arrests. He also asked the government to furnish details of negotiations held with TLP Monday night. He also wanted the government to name the people who had talked to the TLP.

“This is not an issue of TLP only but of the whole nation and the Ummah,” he said. Questioning the absence of the prime minister from the House, PML-N member Ahsan Iqbal observed that the resolution should have been moved by the premier, minister for religious affairs or interior minister.

He also demanded that the House should also have been provided with the details of agreement reached with TLP. “Do you think that TLP does not fall within the purview of the Parliament?” he asked.

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri said the Constitution protected the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and Khatam-e-Nabuwwat adding that the resolution was a positive step in that direction.

He said nobody could challenge the prime minister’s affection for the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) who he had raised the issue at every international forum.

Qadri invited a strong protest of the opposition when he said it was the then government which attempted to bulldoze faith in Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (SAW) by altering the election laws. The minister asked the opposition members to attend the special committee meetings and give their suggestions there.

Reacting to his remarks, Ahsan Iqbal said he was saddened to hear his narrative. He said Shafqat Mahmood of PTI was also part of the committee which approved the elections laws but correction was made within 24 hours when reservations were expressed in the House.

Ahsan recalled that he was son of a mother who was also a member of the National Assembly and played key part in the laws relating to protection of the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

He said the resolution along with the agreement reached with TLP should have been moved by the prime minister or cabinet members. “It is an established fact that the private members’ related proceedings are considered unofficial business,” he said.

He also demanded that Prime Minister Imran Khan should attend the House proceedings as long as the issue was discussed. He suggested Asad Qaiser to adjourn the proceedings so that the government could sit with the opposition to draft a unanimous resolution.

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar there were no two opinions that every possible step should be taken to protect the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Khatam-e-Nabuwwat. “What we want is that nobody in the world should dare commit any blasphemous act but violence is no solution to any issue,” he said.

The minister said the prime minister had been playing a lead role in raising voice against the blasphemous acts elsewhere in the world. “I hope that a forceful and effective voice will be heard from the House,” he said.