TLP warns govt to implement deal until tomorrow

Rizvi asks guarantors of November 27, 2017 agreement to play their role

LAHORE: Extending his deadline until Friday, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi has asked the guarantors of the Faizabad protest deal and the government to fulfil their promises otherwise his party will launch countrywide protests.

Addressing a press conference along with other TLP leaders outside Data Darbar on Wednesday, Rizvi asked sympathisers and activists to gather at the Data Sahib shrine during Friday prayers so that a next strategy could be devised in case the government failed to meet their demand in next two days.

“Where are the guarantors and the government? We called off our protest over their guarantees,” he said.

The army brokered a deal between the TLP protesters and the government on November 27, 2017 to end the religious party’s three-week-long sit-in at Islamabad’s Faizabad interchange against some controversial changes in lawmakers’ oath with regard to the Finality of Prophethood.

The agreement that carried signatures of a number of individuals including Rizvi, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Major General Faiz Hameed promised several things including end of cases against TLP leaders and protestors and unveiling of Raja Zafarul Haq’s report on the oath controversy.

According to the deal, the federal and Punjab governments were to pay for the loss of properties during the sit-in and those arrested under various charges were to be released.

The TLP chief asked the guarantors of the Faizabad protest deal and the government to fulfil their promises. According to Rizvi, the army-brokered deal featured the resignation of Zahid Hamid as law minister and a commitment to unveil the report of Raja Zafarul Haq-led committee within 30 days.

Rizvi said it was agreed that all criminal cases – more than two dozen of which were registered against TLP leaders and supporters only in Islamabad – would be withdrawn, and those arrested would be released.

“The federal and provincial governments were to foot the bill for the damages caused during the sit-in at Faizabad that spanned three weeks while the government was also to compensate the heirs of those who died during the protest,” he said.

Rizvi said the TLP called off the protest on the assurance of Maj Gen Hameed. “The government has until Friday. Later, we will organise small rallies across Pakistan to put pressure on the guarantors,” he announced.