TLP stages political comeback

ISLAMABAD:

The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) gained political capital as the federal government on Saturday agreed to issue a letter declaring that the TLP was not a terrorist organisation.

It would be further acknowledged in the letter that it was a political party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and, therefore, there is no ban on its coverage in the media and it will have complete freedom for political activities just like other political parties.

The ruling alliance also agreed with the TLP’s leadership to quash all “political cases” registered against the party leaders and workers after the party announced ending its Pakistan Bachao March (Save Pakistan March).

The signing of the agreement with the government will help the TLP make a smooth political comeback before the coming elections.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq signed the agreement with the TLP’s key leaders, Dr Muhammad Shafique Amini and Allama Ghulam Abbas Faizi. The announcement about signing of the agreement and ending the march was made in a joint news conference on Saturday afternoon.

Through the agreement, the federal ministers have agreed that all the notifications issued against the TLP by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in the past would be de-notified.

Moreover, the government would lift a ban from all those TLP leaders and workers who have already been excluded from the 4th scheduled list, saying the federal government will also issue directions to the provincial governments in this regard.

In November 2021, just six months after being declared outlawed, the TLP got a clean chit from the federal cabinet and its cases were quashed as well as workers released from the jails after reaching a secret agreement with the government.

Back then, the federal cabinet had revoked its earlier decision of declaring the TLP a “proscribed” organisation under the country’s anti-terrorism law after it committed that it would abide by the Constitution and the laws of the country – no more violent protests.

The cabinet had approved the interior ministry’s summary after the Punjab government proposed that the “federal government may consider de-proscription of the TLP” in view of the “larger national interest and long-term perspective to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future”.

The content of the previous agreement, which was reached after the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS) played a key role, has yet to be made public as the facilitators of the talks had announced that it would be shared at an appropriate time.

Under the newly-signed agreement, it has been decided that the government would write a letter to the US government in three working days for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who has been serving a sentence in US on charges of attempting to kill American nationals outside the country. The government gave its consent that it would take serious steps to bring Dr Siddiqui back to Pakistan.

Among other things, the agreement states that Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, would be applicable on the suspects facing charges of committing blasphemy under section 295-C (use of derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of the Holy Prophet:) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In addition, both sides have agreed to establish a “Counter Blasphemy Wing” under the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The wing is being established with the aim to increase and enhance the capacity of the institution already working and to stop desecration of the religious materials.

The government has agreed with TLP that a filtration system would be enforced through which blasphemous material and immoral content would be removed from social media. Both sides also agreed to ensure unbiased but speedy trial of the accused facing charges of blasphemy, saying the appeals would also be swiftly decided.

Before ending protest, the TLP had also forced the government agreed to reduce petroleum prices and to provide 100 percent benefit of the reduction in the prices of petroleum products to the masses. It has been decided that the government would determine prices of petroleum products in line with global oil prices, import of oil from Russia and improvement in the value of rupee.

According to the agreement, the government will decrease prices of petroleum products in two phases; on June 30 and July 15, respectively. The government and TLP also constituted a committee comprising four members of TLP and members from interior ministry, PTA, FIA, ministry of information and technology and provincial home ministry to ensure implementation of the agreement.