Government, TLP reach agreement; state to take legal measures to place Asia Bibi's name on ECL
The government and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have reached terms to conclude the latter's nationwide protest, DawnNewsTV has reported, with the government making the concession to "initiate the legal process" to place Asia Bibi's name on the exit control list (ECL).
The government has also said it will not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case.
The government has also promised to take appropriate legal action to redress any deaths that may have occurred during the protests against the Asia Bibi verdict and to release all people picked up in connection with the protests starting October 30.
The TLP has, in turn, apologised if it "hurt the sentiments or inconvenienced anyone without reason".
The agreement was signed by Dr Noorul Haq Qadri (religious affairs minister) and Raja Basharat (law minister Punjab) on behalf of the government, and by Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri (senior leader of the TLP) and Muhammad Waheed Noor (central chief nazim of the TLP).
Following the agreement with the government, the TLP leaders addressed the participants of their protest in Lahore and asked them to end the protest and clear the roads, DawnNewsTV reported.
“The party leaders have announced to end protest sit-ins across the country. Workers have been asked to disperse peacefully,” TLP spokesperson Pir Ijaz Qadri said.
The complainant in the Asia Bibi case, Qari Muhammad Salaam, had filed a review petition a day earlier through his counsel, Ghulam Mustafa, against the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Asia's conviction in the blasphemy case.
The petitioner had also sought the placement of Asia's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) till the judgement is reviewed.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had said yesterday that the federal government does not plan to “put Asia Bibi’s name on the exit control list (ECL) or [file an] appeal for a review against the apex court’s verdict”.
It had further said that the review petition filed by Salaam was "filed by the concerned party, which has nothing to do with the government”.
