Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that after the first round of negotiations, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has released all the policemen it had been holding hostage.
The minister released a video message late on Sunday night saying that the “first round of talks went well” and the captured policemen have been released.
The interior minister said the police have also backed off after the TLP workers went back to the masjid in the Yateem Khana area in Lahore.
He said the second round of talks will be held after Sehri and expressed the hope that the matter will be resolved.
A DAY EARLIER: The minister had categorically said that the government was not negotiating with the banned TLP.
While addressing the media on Sunday, the minister had said, “We have been trying to reach a consensus with them for the past two months but they are not ready to compromise on their demands.”
“The situation is a bit tense at Yateem Khana in Lahore where the Jamia Masjid Rahmatul Lil Alameen is located,” Currently, all roads including the GT Road and the Murree Expressway are open,” he had said.
He had explained that when an organisation is proscribed, bank accounts and identity cards of its stakeholders were blocked and their movement was restricted.
“TLP has been served a notice of three days and has been given a month’s time to submit its response,” he had said.
On Saturday, all accounts and assets of Saad Rizvi, head of proscribed TLP were frozen. His name was included in the fourth schedule, banning his movements, which would mean that in incase of movement, he would have to seek prior permission from relevant SHO.
The passport of Saad Rizvi has been blocked, while the government has also seized all movable and immovable assets of the TLP.
