PESHAWAR: After the meeting of National Security Committee (NSC), Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that talks were underway with the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Rizvi to avert the ‘long march’ on Islamabad.
Ahmed said the Prime Minister will address the nation and his statement of will be the narrative of the entire nation. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the Home Minister said, “This is the seventh time the TLP is marching on Islamabad. People are not only suffering, they are facing numerous problems due to road closures.”
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Sheikh Rashid said that it is possible that besides him, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri will also hold talks with the TLP chief Saad Rizvi on Friday evening. He said that perhaps the Prime Minister will address the nation tomorrow and will explain the whole situation to the nation.
A meeting of the National Security Committee was held in Islamabad to review the situation created by the TLP protests long march. The two-hour meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, was attended by service chiefs, heads of intelligence agencies and members of the federal cabinet.
Rashid said that he had earlier signed the agreement with TLP after the approval of the Prime Minister. According to Sheikh Rashid, “Apart from the two policemen killed in Lahore, two more were killed while more than 80 were shot, eight of whom are in critical condition.”
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and leader of the opposition in national assembly [lower house of parliament] Shahbaz Sharif criticised the government over the TLP long march. Sharif said that the federal ministers were making contradictory statements on the law and order situation amid the TLP long march. He said, “There is a sheer chaos and lack of leadership in the country. The government machinery is clueless.” He added that the PTI government is unable to control the situation.