No intention to lift ban on TLP, declares PM Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan in a meeting said that the government had no intention of lifting the ban over TLP.

Prime Minister Khan made it clear on Tuesday that the government had no intention of lifting the ban on (TLP). TLP called off its protests after signing an agreement with the government on submitting a resolution to the National Assembly. The resolution called for the expulsion of the French ambassador. The party which the govt put a ban on had held nationwide violent protests.

To get the ban lifted TLP will have to contact the court. said the PM. The ban on the ban part came as it demanded the deportation of French ambassador over blasphemous caricatures.

PM Khan made the announcement while presiding over a meeting of PTI’s parliamentary group. The meeting came just days after the government announced that it had completed “good rounds of dialogue” with the TLP.

PM made the decision on the belief that if Pakistan to remove the french ambassador. The decision may lead to the EU strongly retaliating and sending 27 Pakistani ambassadors back.

Every Muslim loves Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) very much, said the PM. A Muslim could not bear his disrespect, but the government’s condemnation was not the same as the TLP’s. “No one may argue that he loves Prophet Muhammad more than anyone else,” Mr Khan said.

The pressure on western countries can not bear fruit unless whole asks, said the PM. Muslims should make West understand that it’s not about “freedom of expression,” but about hurting feelings of Muslims. He said that he would lead a movement in which the leaders of all Muslim countries would work together to compel the West to avoid blasphemy against the Prophet.

Another participant said that meeting decided that the government would not lift the ban on the TLP. The latter would have to file a court challenge to have the ban lifted.

Refrences were made in the meeting over the ban on the outfit several times during the meeting, according to a meeting participant. She went on to say, “We called them kaladam (prohibited).”

TLP calls a halt to the Protest

The TLP’s central shura had earlier declared submission of resolution as a “historic success” for the outlawed outfit, calling off its protest campaign and ending a sit-in at its Lahore headquarters, clearing the venue and the city after eight days of violence and blockades.

“The negotiations with the government and progress are made on all the issues,” the statement said. Following the declaration, TLP staff began returning home after an eight-day blockade.

Moreover, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, declared this morning that the banned TLP had agreed to stop protesting across the region. “Talks with the TLP [on issues not previously decided upon] are ongoing,” he said in a video statement following the agreement.

According to the agreement, the government must present a resolution in the National Assembly calling for the removal of the French ambassador. Additionally, he added that he would hold a press conference on the subject. However, the government made no statements regarding the ban on the outfit.

However, neither party released a formal agreement to the media or made it public. When neither TLP leader Saad Hussain Rizvi nor any of his colleagues were released by the evening, the agreement [withdrawal of cases under the Fourth Schedule] raised some doubts.

Moreover, Fawad Chaudhry, said late in the evening that the government had the authority to release those detained under the MPO. “However, how will those arrested on murder and terrorism charges be released by the government? They need legal action, which only a court can provide.”

The minister insisted that the current status of the TLP was of a banned organization. Additionally, the party is to face all those conditions that a proscribed party faced.