LAHORE: As banned Tahreek – e – Labaik (TLP) stays put to its original plan to march on the federal capital come what may , the federal ministers gave new height to uncertainity and confusion on Thursday on the possible strategy to deal with the monstrous task of sorting out the problem without any loss.
Information minister, Fawad Hussain Chaudhary, came down hard on TLP by hurling a warning to it of not moving ahead with its plan to march on Islamabad and he said if it (TLP) will do so it will inflict huge loss. He also made it quite clear that the state will take its course if the marchers kept moving towards Islamabad. Fawad Hussain Chaudhary also ruled out a possibility of any talks with TLP unless the protestors give up their march and those who attacked the police ,killing at least 4 and injuring 80 others, were not handed over to the authorities. Fawad Hussain Chaudhary’s tone suggested the government was determind to use force against the marchers to what he said ” Establish writ of the state”. However, Interior minister, Shaikh Rashid Ahmad, remained comparatively cool during a local TV show. He asked the marchers to go home to avoid any confrontation with the Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs). He apologatically regretted when the interviewer presented him a video clip of Fawad Hussain Chaudhary’s statement wherein he hurled threats on TLP. He repeatedly told to the interviewer that TLP should not confront with the state. His attitude was 100% opposite to Fawad Hussain Chaudhary’s provoking tone. Shaikh Rashid Ahmad categorically said in the interview that he was ready to meet TLP leadership on Friday or Saturday to find out some amicable solution to the deepening crisis.
Shaikh Rashid Ahmad also contradicted Faisal Wavda, who had claimed the other day that some federal ministers had signed the agreement with banned TLP without prime minister’s knowledge. Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said prime minister, Imran Khan, was formally briefed on the drafted agreement and with his permission he signed it with TLP.
The ministers contradictory statements are enough to confuse a common person of this country on a very sensitive and risky issue of tackling with TLP when its followers are posing serious risk to the security of the country.
Meanwhile, the government had secret talks with TLP in Islamabad on the thorny issue of protest at Faizabad. TLP chief ,Saad Rizvi , was airlifted from Kot Likhpat jail Lahore for talks in Islamabad.
In a related development, the prime miniater has summoned the meeting of National Security Council (NSC) for October 29, 2021 to discuss law and order situation of the country in the context of TLP protest.
