ISLAMABAD: Thousands of workers of the banned political organisation Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) left for Gujranwala from Kamoke to continue their protest amidst growing speculations of a dialogue between the party chief, Saad Rizvi, and the federal government.
It is pertinent to mention here that Saad Rizvi, son of the TLP founder, Molana Khadim Hussain Rizvi was arrested earlier this year. According to reports circulating in the media, around 4000 TLP workers have left for Gujranwala and are travelling on the GT Road with their supplies, in buses. The procession is ‘guarded’ by workers on both sides, brandishing sticks.
The procession is said to have disrupted the daily life activities of the commuters who use the GT Road. The Punjab Government had called in the Rangers yesterday to stop the workers from entering the Gujranwala city. The law enforcement authorities have been directed by the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to take every possible step to ensure peace in the province.
The LEAs have also been advised to stop the procession near the Wazirabad-Chenab river area.
Reaction of the Opposition
Meanwhile, the leader of the Opposition, Shehbaz Sharif has deemed the handling of the TLP protest as ‘sheer chaos’.
He tweeted: Federal Ministers are giving contradictory statements on the prevailing situation. One of them said that PM was unaware of 2020 Agreement with TLP. There is a sheer chaos & lack of leadership & the government machinery is totally clueless. This is IK’s way of governing Pakistan!!”
Policeman breathes his last
A policeman, Ghulam Rasool, who was injured in the clashes with the TLP workers breathed his last on Thursday morning. He was injured in a clash between the police officials and the TLP workers that had turned deadly.
The TLP workers are protesting against the government for not expelling the French ambassador from the country. The government, on the other hand, has already announced that it could not ask France to close its embassy in Pakistan and that there was no French ambassador in the country in the first place.
