LAHORE – Despite a perception that the government is arresting the miscreants who were involved in violence in the recent protests, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has stated that the crackdown had halted and its workers were being released now.
Punjab government representative held a late night meeting with TLP and according to the party spokesperson, it was assured that the govt would not only stop arresting workers but start releasing already arrested ones.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Muhammad Basharat and Additional Inspector General (police) Azhar Hameed represented the government in the meeting, as per the claims made by TLP.
‘The TLP never allowed any kind of violence. However, in the garb of arresting miscreants, the Punjab government started arresting its workers, the party had allowed the Punjab government to arrest miscreants because they did not belong to the party,’ he said in a conversation with a leading daily.
‘As per the fresh agreement, the Punjab government was supposed to release all of them by Tuesday evening. We are in the process of collecting information how many of them have been released so far,’ he added.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/tlp-protests-pm-imran-directs-punjab-govt-to-prepare-compensation-package/
On the other hand, Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said it was more of a ‘follow-up meeting’ and that the authorities were very clear about whom they were arresting.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Punjab government to prepare a compensation package for the victims of the protests staged in the backdrop of acquittal of Asia Bibi – a blasphemy suspect imprisoned from as early as 2009.