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Finally, some very good news for the people of Pakistan. After 22 days, the Faizabad sit-in has been called off by all the religious parties, after reaching a mutual agreement with the government of Pakistan.
Here’s how things panned out. The Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah party had been protesting all over Pakistan for the last two days, in order to gain Law Minister Zahid Hamid’s resignation. When Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal tried to end the protest by use of force, the protest sparked fire from Islamabad to all corners of the country.
The mutual agreement of ending the protest stated a few clauses, which are:
1. The Federal Law Minister should resign through whose ministry amendment in the law relating to Finality of Prophethood was made. The TLYRA would not issue any Fatwa (verdict) against the minister.
2. TLP appreciates the amendment (inclusion of 7B, 7C) made in Election Act along with the affidavit by the government on demand of TLYRA, however, report of Leader of the House in Senate, Raja Zafarul Haq committee will be made public within 30 days and action will be taken against the responsible for the earlier controversial amendment as per law of the land.
3. All activists of TLYRA, who have been arrested/detained since the start of Dharna (sit-in) from November 6, should be released within three days while cases against them are withdrawn.
4. An Inquiry Board should be constituted in consultation with TLP to probe November 25 action of the government against the protestors. The Board should investigate, fix responsibility and propose legal action against those responsible for the operation.
5. The damage to public and private properties from November 6 to until now (during Dharna time) should be compiled and financial loss in this regard be borne by the Federal government.
6. Both the government and representatives of protestors also reached an agreement that the points relating to the government of Punjab, upon which consensus had been made, should be implemented in letter and spirit.
The government’s decision to not use further force against the religious party proved to be a very good step. However, for the future of Pakistan, it is a grave revelation that if religious sentiments in the country are hurt, it can cause national outrage and even a media blackout, as happened.
