Minister spills beans on agreement with banned TLP

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan told the National Assembly on Friday that expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan as agreed with the Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was conditioned with approval of parliament.

“While reaching an agreement with the TLP, we told them your (TLP) demand will be presented before parliament and whatever decision is taken will be implemented,” Ali Muhammad Khan said.

He said that negotiations were in progress with the protesters and they were told that the government had moved not even an inch back from the agreement. “But as the negotiations were in progress, the TLP leaders suddenly announced a protest,” he said.

He told the house that then interior minister Brig (retd) Ejaz Shah, the Religious Affairs minister and federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad were part of the negotiations. The minister recalled that both houses of parliament had passed unanimous resolutions condemning the publication of blasphemous material in France.

He told the house that Prime Minister Imran Khan had also raised the issue strongly on every world forum and also wrote to the heads of states of Muslim countries to take a stance on the matter.

He said that along with the religious affairs minister, he took some Ulema into confidence at an Iftar-Dinner on Thursday night. Ali Muhammad Khan said the situation had returned to normal in the country after the steps taken by the government to deal with the violent protesters.

JUI-F leader Salahuddin Ayubi questioned as to why the government did not place the agreement with the TLP before parliament. He said the government had mishandled the issue, warning there is also a reaction to an action.

Riaz Hussain Pirzada of the PML-N questioned who had created banned organizations like Tehrik-e-Taliban, Sipah-e-Sahaba and Tehrik-e-Labbaik. “First you create such outfits then you find it difficult to control them,” he said.

He called for making proceedings of the National Assembly, which is the supreme institution, as meaningful, demanding a debate on the presidential address to parliament. Syed Naveed Qamar said that in the name of Islam things should not be taken to such a stage where the common man starts suffering and writ of the state is challenged He observed that the government following the blasphemous incident in France had failed to give a response which should have been forceful without damaging the interests of the country.

Naveed Qamar said as to who gave the authority to a minister that he should meet the angry protesters and assure them that the French ambassador would be expelled from Islamabad. The PPP member said while reaching an agreement with the TLP, the government did not take the house into confidence.

“The interior minister who should have given a policy statement on the issue is also not present in the house,” he said, adding the minister is a senior parliamentarian but he ignored parliament.

He said that the instrument of ban on some outfits in the past had not been able to serve the purpose, saying the proscribed groups and parties were still operating with different names.

“There should be a consistent policy on taking action against such groups,” he said. He complained that the government was moving a reference to the Supreme Court but did not take parliament into confidence.

Speaker Asad Qaisar directed the government to ensure that the interior minister should give a policy statement in the house on the issue. Mohsin Dawar said there should be no two opinions that all the parliamentarians were Aashiq-e-Rasool (SAW) but nobody would be allowed to resort to violence.

Dawar observed that the TTP was a terrorist outfit having nothing to do with Islam but he questioned who created Taliban. At the same time, he also questioned who created Tehrik-e-Labaik.

“We have been using the TTP and TLP for political gains and vested interests and used Taliban in Afghanistan and made the whole country suffer due to a proxy war in Afghanistan,” he said.

Syed Imran Shah of the PML-N said religious sentiments of Pakistani Muslims had been tested time and again by firing at Model Town protest, facilitating Raymond Davis escape, sending Asiya Bibi out of the country, hanging Mumtaz Qadri and not giving an effective response to the blasphemous act in France.

He questioned as to why the TLP sitting leader was arrested before the deadline of April 20 which had resulted in a law and order situation in the country. The speaker said that all the parliamentarians are ‘Aashiq-e-Rasool’ and can sacrifice their lives for the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

He also suggested that a resolution should be moved on the issue to make a pledge that there would be no compromise on the dignity and respect of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Jamaat-e-Islami’s Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali also spoke on the issue, saying that there was a need to adopt an effective strategy by Muslim countries to prevent repetition of blasphemous acts in some countries.

He also supported the suggestion of moving a resolution on the issue in the house on Monday. Meanwhile, two minority members Kel Daas and Lal Chand raised the issue of alleged forced conversions in Sindh. They demanded providing protection to Hindu girls who they said were being forced to change their religion.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that a parliamentary committee constituted to guarantee the rights of minorities as per the Constitution of Pakistan had prepared a draft bill against the forced conversions.

PPP leader Naveed Qamar said his party will fully support any bill aimed at protecting the rights of minorities. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Syed Naveed Qamar at the outset of proceedings opposed two-hour daily proceedings for three days a week of the house as part of SOPs. The speaker said a meeting of the business advisory committee would be held on Monday at 1pm to take up the issue.