Tehreek-e-Labbaik's Long March: 'There are legal issues with complying with the TLP's demands, Sheikh Rasheed
Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that there are legal issues regarding the implementation of the demands of the banned Tehreek-e-Libek Pakistan, but the matter will be placed before the federal cabinet on Wednesday.
Sheikh Rasheed made the remarks at a press conference in Islamabad on Monday.
The Home Minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would return to the country on Tuesday and then he would meet him and brief him on the situation.
Activists of the banned Tehreek-e-Libek are currently stationed at Sadhuki on GT Road, and after initial talks, the movement's leaders gave the government until Tuesday evening to expel the French ambassador and release his emir, Saad Rizvi.
Referring to two meetings with Saad Rizvi in the provincial capital, the Home Minister said that Tehreek-e-Labbaik demanded that the government take up the matter with a parliamentary committee soon.
Sheikh Rasheed clarified that he did not visit Saad Rizvi in jail but he said that he had met Saad Rizvi in Lahore.
A round of talks between the Labbaik movement and the government was also held at the Interior Ministry on Monday.
Inayat-ul-Haq Shah, a member of Tehreek-e-Labbaik's team negotiating with the government, told that he had been assured in Monday's talks that Tehreek-e-Libek would not be banned while his Action will also be taken to remove the names of the members from the Fourth Schedule.
He said that at present the names of more than 700 workers and leaders of his party are included in the Fourth Schedule.
According to Inayat-ul-Haq Shah, he has also been informed by the government team that 320 detained Tehreek-e-Labbaik activists have been released but the issue of return of cases will be discussed in the talks to be held on Tuesday.
Attempts to comply with the French ambassador's deportation and release the leader of the banned group, Saad Rizvi, failed to stop the long march that began last Friday in Lahore and ended on Saturday night in the Muridke area of Gujranwala district.
After Sheikh Rasheed's press conference, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan said that the participants of the long march have opened the way as promised during the talks with the government and the government should fulfill its agreement.
'Instructions for Restoring Accounts'
According to Sheikh Rasheed, Prime Minister Imran Khan has instructed his secretary Azam Khan to talk to the FBR and restore the frozen accounts (of Tehreek-e-Labbaik and other madrassas).
According to him, this is a good thing because now it will be possible to know about the funds of madrassas.
It may be recalled that the SBP had frozen the bank accounts of the leaders and workers of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, which was banned in April this year in the light of government orders.
Hundreds of people whose accounts have been frozen are accused of being activists of the banned party. Apparently, there are a significant number of people who have no direct connection with this party and their names are also in the Fourth Schedule.
TLP is a banned party
To a question, Home Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that he (TLP) is a banned party and "we are talking about it too".
According to him, he has found Saad Rizvi a very reasonable man in two meetings. "I want to resolve this issue completely so that there is no more conflict after six months," he said.
According to him, the demands are said to be met immediately but it requires a legal process and it takes time.
It should be noted that Tehreek-e-Lubaik Pakistan has been banned by the Interior Ministry under Section 11B of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and there are currently 78 other organizations in Pakistan that are banned under this law.
Under the law, when a party or organization is banned, all its political offices are sealed and all office records and materials contained therein are confiscated.
In addition, all financial assets of the organization are frozen. The organization is not allowed to participate in elections or any other political activity, nor can it raise funds for any welfare or religious purposes.
In addition, action may be taken against the media organization or anyone who assists in spreading the message of the banned organization.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Sheikh Rasheed had said that the government has not gone to the Supreme Court to dissolve the party against the TLP and that is why the TLP is now using its election symbol everywhere in the country. But not only is it contesting elections, but it has emerged as the third largest political party in Punjab, which we have to admit mentally.
During the conference, he also advised his government not to clash with religious people.
The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Shura has said the government has been given until Tuesday evening to meet the organisation's demands, end "illegal cases" and review the Fourth Schedule.
The statement from the council said that the march would end when Amir Saad Rizvi, along with other members of the council, appeared before the participants of the long march and announced that their demands would be met.
The TLP Shura says, "Until our Amir Allama Saad Hussain Rizvi arrives, the agreement will not be fully fulfilled. Until then, we are here."
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed clarified that vandalism in the name of protest is illegal. "Many Pakistani organizations have been banned internationally," Sheikh Rashid said, adding that he had told Saad Rizvi that France was currently the head of a European country and that Pakistan was already particularly affected by its nuclear and missile programs. There is pressure.
However, he said that under the agreement, he would also present the demand of the TLP regarding the French ambassador to the assembly.