Day seven: TLP vows to continue protest

Demand contentious Faizabad agreement be enforced

LAHORE: Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP)  continued with the seventh consecutive day of their sit-in outside Data Darbar on Sunday.

The deadlock continued since government officials have not resumed the dialogue process. The protestors are demanding that the contentious Faizabad agreement be enforced. Tehrik Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) chief Khadim Rizvi has already issued April 12 as the deadline; failure to meet the deadline will result in a country wide strike.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the party spokesperson said that government must fulfil the party’s demands if they want to avoid any incident from occurring.

According to TLP leaders, the protest would be extended to other cities if the government fails to carry out the terms decided upon in the army-brokered Faizabad agreement.

Hundreds of TLP workers are participating in the sit-in outside Data Darbar, which has been going on since Monday.

Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) heard a petition seeking the removal of the protesters.

The petitioner, Abdullah Malik, contended that the protesters were violating people’s basic human rights by blocking the road, adding that it was unconstitutional. He appealed to the court to issue orders ending the sit in.

TLP chief and TLYRA leaders were declared proclaimed offenders by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad. However, law enforcement agencies have been unable to make any arrests.

Punjab government Spokesperson Malik Ahmed Khan admitted that arresting Rizvi and other TYLR leader was proving to be a difficult task for provincial authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2018.