Court to decide whether Aasia Bibi will be placed on ECL, says religious affairs minister

Published November 6, 2018
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri. — Photo courtesy of DawnNewsTV
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri. — Photo courtesy of DawnNewsTV

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri while speaking to the media on Tuesday said that the court would decide on the matter of placing Aasia Bibi's name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The government and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) had on Friday reached an agreement after which the latter ended its three-day-long nationwide protests against the Supreme Court's acquittal last week of Asia Bibi who had been sentenced to death in 2010 for blasphemy.

One of the points both parties agreed on was that the government would "initiate the legal process" to place Aasia Bibi's name on the no-fly list.

When asked whether her name had been placed on the ECL, Qadri said: "If you read the agreement, you'll see it says that legal process will be undertaken to place her on the ECL."

"When there are cases in the Supreme Court and high court, the court itself says that so-and-so should be placed on the ECL. So we will follow that process."

"The TLP also said that some miscreants used their platform to damage public property and had behaved inappropriately. The state will take action against them," he added.

"We stand by the agreement, and it will be acted upon," Qadri asserted.

When asked whether the TLP would be banned, the minister said that there was no plan to ban the TLP.

"However, if someone's intentions or designs are in conflict with the national narrative and policies, then hopefully steps will be taken against them," he replied.

Qadri said that the role of the state and the government is like that of a mother, and the government's first responsibility is to restore peace.

The minister said that the government was formulating strategies in anticipation of similar situations in the future.

Qadri also commented on the recent death of Maulana Samiul Haq calling it a unfortunate incident, and described it as part of a greater conspiracy.

Chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Maulana Samiul Haq was assassinated in his house in Bahria Town on November 2.

Qadri said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had given orders for an investigation into the murder of Maulana Sami while he was still on his trip in China.

Opinion

Rule by law

Rule by law

‘The rule of law’ is being weaponised, taking on whatever meaning that fits the political objectives of those invoking it.

Editorial

Isfahan strikes
Updated 20 Apr, 2024

Isfahan strikes

True de-escalation means Israel must start behaving like a normal state, not a rogue nation that threatens the entire region.
President’s speech
20 Apr, 2024

President’s speech

PRESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari seems to have managed to hit all the right notes in his address to the joint sitting of...
Karachi terror
20 Apr, 2024

Karachi terror

IS urban terrorism returning to Karachi? Yesterday’s deplorable suicide bombing attack on a van carrying five...
X post facto
Updated 19 Apr, 2024

X post facto

Our decision-makers should realise the harm they are causing.
Insufficient inquiry
19 Apr, 2024

Insufficient inquiry

UNLESS the state is honest about the mistakes its functionaries have made, we will be doomed to repeat our follies....
Melting glaciers
19 Apr, 2024

Melting glaciers

AFTER several rain-related deaths in KP in recent days, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has sprung into...