Govt forms 12-member committee to hold talks with banned TLP

ISLAMABAD:– Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday formed a 12-member committee to hold negotiations with banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TLP).

The committee was formed after the prime minister held an important meeting with Ulemas and religious scholars following protest of banned TLP.

More than 31 scholars including Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, Pir Khalid Sultan Bahoo, Pir Abdul Khaliq, Dr Muhammad Zubair, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Pir Muhammad Amin, Pir Khawaja Ghulam Qutb Farid, Pir Nizam Sialvi, Sahibzada Hafiz Hamid Raza and other scholars attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed apprised the meeting of the current situation in the country, while important issues related to the protest of the banned TLP were also discussed.

It was agreed in the meeting between the premier and the Ulema that the country could not tolerate a violent situation at this time.

Imran Khan said that it would be valuable if the Ulema could act as a bridge between the government and the banned TLP.

He said the government does not want bloodshed, adding that peace and security is in the interest of everyone.

The PM said that no compromise would be made on national security and writ of the government.

Talking to media after the meeting, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri said that a 12-member committee has been formed to hold talks with the banned TLP.

He said that the religious scholars have announced their full support for a peaceful solution to the issue.