Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman declares a nationwide protest
KARACHI (Monitoring Desk) After the violence and protests in Lahore led to conflicts between the police and a prohibited religious political group, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, the former chairperson of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, has called the shutter down strike across the country for today.
Other religious leaders also joined Mufti Muneeb’s appeal for a strike and opposed the police action in Lahore. Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Mufti Taqi Usmani of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam have both condemned the violence in Lahore, with Fazl expressing support for Mufti Muneeb’s request for a protest. Mufti Usmani said in a Twitter message that while “some” people’s killings were clearly wrong, the government must act wisely.
The police and Rangers carried out an operation in Yateem Khana Chowk in Lahore on Sunday to disperse protestors from the prohibited religious political group. Both roads leading to the side road were restricted during the operation, and there were indications of prolonged clashes between law enforcement and protectors.
In an apparent reference to TLP protestors, Punjab Chief Minister’s aide Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that “miscreants” armed with petrol bombs targeted the Nawankot police station, kidnapping Twelve officers and injuring six others.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed declared in the early hours of Monday that Eleven police officers kidnapped in Lahore by the banned TLP had been released after talks with the Punjab government.
The interior minister said in a video statement that the “first round of talks” ended in a “good manner,” after which the police officers were released and the protestors dispersed and moved to the TLP’s headquarters, Masjid Rehmatulil Alameen.
