The Punjab government and proscribed organization Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) second phase of dialogs presumed on Monday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told a few hours after the first round of talks were held earlier during the day.
In a video statement, the interior minister had said the “first round of talks” concluded in a “successful manner” after which the policemen were released and the protesters had gone inside the Masjid Rehmatulil Alameen.
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar and Law Minister Raja Basharat represented the government in the second round of talks, the information minister revealed.
“The third round will be held at 10pm, with Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed and Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri in attendance,” he added.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had announced that 11 policemen, who were taken hostage in Lahore by the banned party, had been released after negotiations carried out by the Punjab government.
Yesterday, 36 policemen were injured in clashes with the rioters. Of which one is critical, Arif said.
The 16 hostages were kept in the basement of a mosque and tortured.
All 16 police officials taken hostage on Sunday were released at 2:10 a.m. Monday morning, Rana Arif, the spokesperson for Lahore CCPO told local media group
The four demands of the TLP included the release of their leader Saad Rivi, for TLP to be unbanned, all FIRs against their workers be dropped and a resolution be presented in the parliament to expel the French ambassador, the official added.
