TLP arrests

There are many legitimate criticisms to be made of the way the PTI government handled the protests arising from the acquittal of Aasia Bibi. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s stirring speech on maintaining rule of law was followed by one of his infamous U-turns. The subsequent negotiations with the TLP gave it a legitimacy it does not deserve and the signed agreement represented an abject surrender to extremism. Still, there was hope that the government learned its lesson from that incident – that one should never negotiate with those holding the country hostage. Signs are that it is taking a different approach this time.

On Friday, a massive crackdown was launched against the TLP ahead of its planned November 25 protest to mark the one-year anniversary of when it shut down the Faizabad exchange in Islamabad. Among those taken into custody was TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi. The fact is that there is no way the TLP should be allowed to shut down the capital again. Last year’s experience set the tone for appeasement as the PML-N government first had to allow the violent protest to continue and then was forced into sacrificing its law minister to fall on his sword in response to TLP demands. Then too a humiliating agreement was signed that allowed the TLP to escape unpunished for its actions.

The current government is being rightly praised for this first step in tackling the TLP. However, we should also remember that TLP leaders will only be in ‘protective custody’, in a guesthouse, for a maximum period of one month. There are plenty of criminal cases that could be launched against the extremist party but the agreement the government signed with it essentially give it immunity for breaking the law during the Aasia Bibi protests. This has hampered the government’s ability to tackle the group and for that it has no one to blame but itself. The state needs to rethink its approach to the TLP. It has empowered the group by allowing it to register as a political party and contest elections even though the party routinely indulges in hate speech, advocates violence against the state and stages protests that are themselves violent. Mainstream political parties have faced calls for bans for doing much less. Our experience with militancy should have taught us that accommodating extremist groups never works. If this crackdown is the start of more sustained action then the government deserves credit but there is a nagging feeling that this could be yet another false dawn.