Govt & banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan reach agreement
ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (SABAH): Government and banned organization Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have reached agreement, Mufti Muneebur Rehman announced on Sunday.
PTI government’s negotiating team including Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Engineer Ali Muhammad Khan alongside Mufti Muneebur Rehman and representatives of banned TLP Mufti Muhammad Umair Al-Azhari, Allama Ghulam Abbas Faizi and Hafiz Muhammad Hafeez addressed the joint press conference at Press Information Department (PID).
Mufti Muneebur Rehman while addressing the press conference said that the details of the agreement will be revealed at appropriate time; however, he said that as per the agreement, a steering committee has been formed under the chair of Muhammad Ali Khan. He said that the actions speak louder than the words. He said that the agreement reached between government and banned TLP also enjoys the backing and support of Chief of the banned TLP Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi.
Mufti Muneebur Rehman said that the agreement reached with the government was not a victory or defeat of any individual, but a victory of Islam and Pakistan. Mufti Muneebur Rehman shared that a steering committee has been constituted under the agreement which will be headed by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, while Mufti Ghulam Ghous Baghdadi from TLP will join the committee. He said the committee will become active from today and start its work.
“The government of Pakistan and the TLP had a detailed discussion under the environment of mutual trust, and an agreement has been reached between the two sides,” Rehman announced, clarifying that the talks did not take place under any duress or in an atmosphere of tension.
He said that rationality had prevailed over sentimentalism and a consensus had been reached between the government and the banned TLP movement.
“I want to tell the nation that these dialogues were never not held under any duress. They were held in a serious, responsible and independent environment, [in which] everyone made their contribution. Everyone deserves to be thanked for it.”
The Mufti did not give any specific details of the agreement, simply saying that they will be shared at an “appropriate time”.
The Mufti said that the “positive impact” of the agreement would be visible in the coming week, adding: “The participants of the agreement entered the accord in the best interest of the country and its people. This agreement was reached before any untoward incident. This is the news for the entire nation, and the national media should portray it in a positive manner.”
Mufti Muneeb thanked all the parties involved for their help in striking the agreement. “I am thankful to the prime minister for empowering the committee and trusting it, and also to the committee for working dedicatedly to resolve this matter,” he said. “Similarly, the TLP demonstrated the same behaviour.” “The agreement was also backed by TLP chief Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi,” he added.
He said that a committee has been formed to oversee the matter. “State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan will be its head, while Law Minister Punjab Raja Basharat and secretary interior government of Pakistan and home secretary Punjab will be members of the committee,” the Mufti said, adding that Mufti Ghulam Ghous Baghdadi and Engineer Hafeezullah Alavi will represent TLP in the committee.
Mufti Muneebur Rehman said that the agreement is not the success or defeat of anyone but it is success of Pakistan, Islam, patriotism and success of the safety of the respect of the protection of human lives. He said that the negotiations were not held forcefully but were held in serious, responsible and independent atmosphere. He said all the responsible people have contribution in the success of the negotiations. He said that all these people deserve appreciation of the nation.
Mufti Muneeb said that the sovereignty of Pakistan, its peace and its protection and protection of human lives and property of the people is responsibility of all of us including government. He said that the bullets and weapons being prepared at the Pakistan ordnance factories is not for using against our own nation but it is prepared for using against the internal and external enemies. He said that the use of force by any government against its own people is not a matter of proud and it should always be kept at zero option and should always come towards negotiations and dialogues.
Mufti Muneeb said that if both parties stand at 90 degrees then the problems are not resolved, adding that every party has to retreat for the country. Mufti Muneeb said that they are hopeful the agreement will be implemented in letter and spirit.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshion the occasion said that innocent lives were lost and properties of people were damaged and if the issue was prolonged, the situation could have gotten worse. Shah Mahmood Qureshi thanked all the people who played role in success of the negotiations.
Qureshi thanked the ulemas for “saving the country from a test” and explained why the government chose to negotiate rather than use force. “On Friday when I returned from Tehran, the NSC meeting was called,” he recalled. “The meeting, after detailed deliberations, decided that talks will be preferred and focus will be to resolve this issue with sensibility.
“We saw the loss of lives, property, chaos at hospital, difficulty in movement of people, fear of economic loss, and we chose the path of peace.”
“In the light of the PM’s orders and keeping in view of the nation’s interest, we realise that powers who want to harm Pakistan could have benefited,” Qureshi said, adding that there would be no question and answers session with the media personnel.
During the press conference no questions of the journalists were entertained.
It is worth mentioning here that Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday had formed a 12-member committee to hold negotiations with the banned organization