The government held negotiations with a delegation of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) comprising four of its leaders amid the group’s plan to hold a long march to Islamabad. Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat confirmed the government team’s meeting with TLP representatives.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed chaired a meeting of the three-member committee formed by the government to hold talks with the TLP. The committee was formed on orders of the prime minister.
According to reports, Law Minister Raja Basharat told the meeting attendees that the government has spoken to the TLP four times in the last three days, but the deadlock could not be broken.
Earlier today, Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri said that the government wanted to resolve the issue through talks, and that it is determined to protect the lives and properties of the citizens.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had gone to the UAE to watch Indo-Pakistan T20 match, but the PM directed him to come back to the country in light of the situation.
Earlier on Friday, Punjab police department spokesperson confirmed the killing of three policemen at the hands of TLP rioters. The banned group’s workers crashed their cars into two policemen who were trying to stop them, causing severe injuries to both. The wounded cops were taken to a nearby hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.
A third policeman was martyred in a separate clash with the banned outfit’s workers.
Several other cops are said to have been injured in the clashes. There are also unconfirmed reports of TLP workers being killed in the clashes.
