TLP march: Civil-military leadership on same page, says Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Divulging the details of the NSC meeting, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Friday said it was agreed upon by the entire leadership that it would stand behind the Punjab Police and law enforcement agencies. Besides, the prime minister and national security departments made it clear that the entire country and civil-military leaderships were on the same page on the issue.

The minister for information and broadcasting passionately called upon Ulema to play their role for maintaining peace by discouraging elements using the name of Islam for political gains.

Creating unrest and engaging people in the name of religion was a disservice to Islam, he told journalists in an apparent reference to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik’s ongoing long march.

He said finality of Holy Prophet (PBUH) could not be used for political gains as it was not only politically uncivilized but also had a bad impact on Islam. “There is 97 percent population of Muslims in the country,” the information minister said, adding, “The belief in Islam cannot be completed without accepting the concepts of (Oneness) Toheed and (Prophethood) Risalat whole-heartedly.”

Fawad said the government had exercised enough restraint, besides showing maximum perseverance in the case of proscribed TLP, but it was inappropriate to challenge the writ of the state, which was home to 220 million people and was a nuclear power.

He maintained the entire Ummah found blessings in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), but it was unfortunate that the TLP was creating unrest in the name of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), who declared removing obstacles from pathway as a virtue, adding, “Love for Prophet (PBUH) means extending love to every human being as Islam preached peace and tranquility.”

The minister made it clear that the government would ensure the writ of the state at all costs and go to every length to protect lives and properties of the people. Fawad asserted that as far as the personality of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was concerned, nobody could deny that it was only Prime Minister Imran Khan who had taken practical steps against Islamophobia and for promoting Seeratun Nabi, adding, “The prime minister has established Rehmatul-lil-Aalameen Authority to disseminate the teachings of the last prophet Muhammad (PBUH).”

Referring to the ongoing long march, the minister said that such chaos was a conspiracy against Islam which aimed at dividing people in the name of religion.“In the recent clashes between police and the proscribed TLP, five policemen embraced martyrdom, 49 suffered injuries and 14 others were in critical condition, while in their previous protest, six personnel were killed and some 700 were injured,” Fawad said.

Reaffirming his recent stance, the information minister said, “Let me clarify that do not consider the state weak as I have already stated that Pakistan had defeated many major terrorist organizations in the past, so such mobs cannot stand before the state and neither will we let them go beyond a certain limit.”

He posed a question as to why the government will spill blood on roads and disturb law and order situation, adding, “We had had negotiations with TLP in the past and now we ask them to return home.”

The minister said that peaceful protest was the right of everyone, but if they thought that they could get their demands approved from the government by using batons, killing policemen and burning properties of people, it was impossible. He warned, “We will go to every extent if you behave in that way,” adding that the interior minister had earlier clarified that negotiations with the proscribed TLP were being held with a condition that it should be done in accordance with the law and Constitution.

Fawad asserted, “We will not surpass our judicial system and all the decisions will be taken in line with the system enshrined in the Constitution,” adding that some of the protesters were a part of their protest as a fun. He alleged that Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was in the habit of starting violent protests whenever the country’s economy started exhibiting signs of recovery, adding that the prime minister and all NSC members including armed forces personnel had categorically said that the whole nation was against such violent protests. The minister revealed that TLP’s last violent protest had received massive support on social media from India.

Responding to a question about the release of TLP Ameer Saad Rizvi, he said there was no monarchy in the country and Rizvi could only be freed through legal process, adding that there were 98 cases against Saad Rizvi. “I once again urge the people who had joined them for the sake of fun to return home and also ask their families to call them back as the government cannot tolerate such thing as it had some limitations,” he appealed.