New Delhi, (Samajweekly) Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed called on the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to stick to the promises it had made with the government, warning that “things will be out of my hands” if the group fails to do so, Dawn reported.
The Minister categorically stated that the government would stop the group from entering Islamabad.
He urged the protesters to turn back, otherwise the state would be left with no choice but to “establish its writ”.
Rasheed said that while the government does not want violence, Prime Minister Imran Khan would not allow the country to become “hostage”.
Addressing the TLP protesters, he said: “Your loss is our loss.”
The Interior Minister said he had spoken to the TLP leadership, including the group’s chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, multiple times in recent days and would talk to them again on Friday and Saturday.
“However, the talks would only be held after (the TLP) returns.”
Ahmed said the TLP had committed to unblocking roads and the group should fulfil its promise.
“Otherwise, matters will go out of my hand,” he warned.
He said he had been trying to convince the TLP to keep its promises, “but if you keep moving forward (towards Islamabad), you will have to be stopped at some point”.
