The Punjab home department has sent a summary to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar seeking removal of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)'s banned status.
In a statement, the provincial home department said that the CM has been requested to give a formal approval after the Punjab cabinet's sub-committee on law and order okayed the removal of 'proscribed' status of the outfit.
Once the chief minister approves the unbanning, the same will be approved by the provincial cabinet and the federal government will then be requested to remove the TLP's proscribed status, as per the home department.
Earlier, 90 workers of the banned TLP were removed from the fourth schedule. The step was taken as part of the government's undisclosed agreement with the group.
The decision to take TLP leaders off the fourth schedule was made during a meeting presided over by Law Minister Punjab Raja Basharat in Lahore. It was also decided that 100 more activists of the TLP will be released from different jails in the province. The authorities also discussed the decisions taken by the steering committee that is dealing with all TLP-related issues.
Backstory
The government had reached an agreement with the proscribed TLP on Sunday, the contents of which have not been made public. Following the deal, several workers of the group were released by the Punjab government. The development raised eyebrows with many questioning as to how a group whose workers killed policemen can be forgiven.
Justifying the government’s agreement, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that it was the only way government could defuse the situation and avoid further violence.
The TLP had been holding a sit-in in Lahore which began on Eid Milad un Nabi and later expanded to other areas. Clashes between policemen and the rioters left at least six cops dead. Many others were injured. With the agreement, the TLP has agreed to call off the protests. However, in Wazirabad, the protestors moved to a nearby park instead of dispersing. The TLP has vowed to end the park sit-in only when it sees the agreement being implemented.
In a statement, the provincial home department said that the CM has been requested to give a formal approval after the Punjab cabinet's sub-committee on law and order okayed the removal of 'proscribed' status of the outfit.
Once the chief minister approves the unbanning, the same will be approved by the provincial cabinet and the federal government will then be requested to remove the TLP's proscribed status, as per the home department.
Earlier, 90 workers of the banned TLP were removed from the fourth schedule. The step was taken as part of the government's undisclosed agreement with the group.
The decision to take TLP leaders off the fourth schedule was made during a meeting presided over by Law Minister Punjab Raja Basharat in Lahore. It was also decided that 100 more activists of the TLP will be released from different jails in the province. The authorities also discussed the decisions taken by the steering committee that is dealing with all TLP-related issues.
Backstory
The government had reached an agreement with the proscribed TLP on Sunday, the contents of which have not been made public. Following the deal, several workers of the group were released by the Punjab government. The development raised eyebrows with many questioning as to how a group whose workers killed policemen can be forgiven.
Justifying the government’s agreement, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that it was the only way government could defuse the situation and avoid further violence.
The TLP had been holding a sit-in in Lahore which began on Eid Milad un Nabi and later expanded to other areas. Clashes between policemen and the rioters left at least six cops dead. Many others were injured. With the agreement, the TLP has agreed to call off the protests. However, in Wazirabad, the protestors moved to a nearby park instead of dispersing. The TLP has vowed to end the park sit-in only when it sees the agreement being implemented.