Pakistan

‘It’s your mess — clean it up or go home,’ Bilawal tells PM Imran Khan

Islamabad – Staff Reporter:

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has told PM Imran Khan that the law and order situation in the country following clashes with the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is the premier’s mess to fix and has suggested that the prime minister either “clean it up or go home”.

The tweet from the PPP leader came a few hours after Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said the government would present a resolution in the National Assembly seeking the expulsion of the French envoy and withdraw cases against members of the outlawed TLP.

Bilawal referenced the violence that occured over the past week involving protests by the proscribed organisation, subsequent clashes with police and the government’s decision to ban the TLP as a terrorist entity.

He criticised the prime minister for not bringing the issue to the National Assembly in the first place.

“Agreement wasn’t brought to NA, govt took action on streets, then banned [the TLP], people killed, over 500 policemen injured, closed internet, PM didn’t make statement in NA, didn’t take NA into confidence at any stage. Now PTI wants to hide behind NA. It’s your mess PM, clean up or go home,” he tweeted.

Outlawed TLP’s protests to end across country

A government delegation, comprising the interior minister, Minister for Religious Affairs Dr Noorul Haq Qadri, SAPM Tahir Ashrafi, Governor Punjab Mohammad Sarwar and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, held talks with members of the proscribed group in Lahore on Tuesday.

Following the negotiations, the interior minister, in a video statement, had said protests across Pakistan, including the one outside the headquarters of the religiopolitical group, will end.

He had said that, reciprocally, all cases, including those filed under the fourth schedule, against members of banned TLP would be withdrawn.

Rashid had said he would hold a press conference sometime later today to share details.

“[Meanwhile] talks will continue with them,” he said.

‘Sending ambassadors back will not end Islamophobia’

Before the final round of talks, Prime Minister Imran Khan in an address to the nation had reminded citizens that Pakistan was built on the principles of Islam.

He stressed that the government was on the same page with the TLP regarding the protection of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s honour; however, expelling the ambassador of France was not the solution to the problem.

“The West has made this an issue of freedom of speech and if we send back the French ambassador, some other European country will follow suit,” PM Imran Khan had said.

He had warned that if Pakistan starts sending back ambassadors of different countries, the economy will suffer, but it will not make a difference to France or any other country.

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