Government and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan End Standoff, Majority of TLP’s Demands Accepted

The standoff between Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the government has ended, as Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced on Saturday. The government conceded to 10 of the 12 TLP demands, signifying a resolution to major points of contention.

Negotiations in the federal capital marked the second round of talks to convince the TLP to abandon their “Save Pakistan March.” Dr. Shafiq Amini, Ghulam Abbas Faizi, Mufti Muhammad Umair Al Azhari, Maulana Ghulam Ghous Baghdadi, and Jeelan Shah represented the TLP.

Rana Sanaullah, the Interior Minister, and Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq represented the government in the discussions.

In a press conference following the negotiations in Islamabad, Sanaullah, accompanied by TLP’s Dr. Shafiq Amini, expressed regret over Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s predicament. He said that every Pakistani empathizes with her plight.

Read: Dr. Fowzia Returns from US After Meeting Incarcerated Sister

“An innocent woman has been unjustly penalized and imprisoned,” stated the minister. He further promised that the government would address her 86-year sentence by writing to the US authorities, denouncing it as unjust.

Addressing the TLP’s demand for a reduction in petrol prices, Sanaullah affirmed that the related proposal had been put forward to the TLP. Ishaq Dar, he mentioned, has also promised substantial reductions in petrol prices in the near future.

Read: Petrol and Diesel Prices in Pakistan to Remain Unchanged, Says Finance Minister

On the other hand, Dr. Shafiq Amini expressed his gratitude to the government for the peaceful consideration of their demands. He reiterated the TLP’s preference for dialogue over conflict and voiced optimism that past unpleasant encounters will not be revisited.