Declaration of TLP proscribed organization an internal decision: Fawad

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Saturday said declaration of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as a proscribed organization was purely an internal decision of Pakistan.

Talking to the media persons at District Headquarters Hospital after inquiring after health of injured police personnel, he outrightly rejected any foreign pressure on the issue of TLP.

The minister said the government had handled the protest of the TLP in the best possible manner and the situation had normalized now across the country.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had already issued a statement and tweet in which he had appreciated the bravery of police and law enforcement agencies.

Fawad said that the government had to close social media for a few hours but it was inevitable to counter the tactics of the miscreants.

He said every Muslim was ready to sacrifice his life for the honour of the Holy Prophet SAW but any body using this issue for getting political mileage was unfortunate.

In past foreign hand was found in sectarian violence in Karachi and nobody could rule out hand of enemy countries in the recent violence on the name of religion, he said.

The minister said few parties may have been playing in the hands of the enemy and such incidents could weaken the country. He appreciated Punjab, Sindh and KP police and security agencies which gelled together and countered the threat effectively.

Chaudhry Fawad said the government was committed to the capacity building of the law enforcement agencies. He said Pakistan was the fifth largest country and one of the seven atomic powers of the world and it should not be taken as a weak nation which had defeated the scourge of terrorism successfully.

He said that Pakistan was not a weak state and no one should take it lightly.

The minister said in democracy everybody had his viewpoint but no one could be allowed to blackmail the state by use of force or any other means.

He also lauded Interior and Religious Affairs Ministries and the provincial governments for handling the situation with coordination.