Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that an alliance with an extremist group means ‘international isolation’ amid reports that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is considering doing a seat adjustment with the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Punjab.
The minister in his tweet on Tuesday said that religious groups have the capacity to use mobs for violence but their capacity to create any ripple in politics “has always been limited”.
“At one point Sunni Tehreek was more violent than TLP, but done and dusted. This party will be over sooner,” he wrote. “[An] alliance with such a party means international isolation,” the information minister added.
His statement, on Twitter, came as the government began implementing a deal made with the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which had launched protests in Lahore on October 20, seeking the release of their leader Saad Rizvi.
Earlier today, PTI leader Senator Ejaz Chaudry said that he would present a bouquet to TLP chief Saad Rizvi after his release from jail. It was also reported in a section of media that the meeting held to discuss the situation also decided that the PTI will form an alliance with the TLP in Punjab.
After more than 10 days of demonstrations and clashes with police, the government on Sunday reached an accord with the banned outfit. Under the agreement, TLP workers who are not facing any formal criminal charges were to be released. The amnesty was also extended to Rizvi.
In another tweet on Tuesday, Fawad thanked the mainstream media for demonstrating responsibility and caution in the recent TLP crisis.
He said if the media does not show responsibility in such crises, the problems of governments can aggravate. The information minister said journalism is about telling the truth responsibly.
