Govt committed to finding cure for violent protests, says Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is committed to taking steps against extremism and finding a permanent solution to violent protests.

In an interview with the BBC, the minister defended an agreement with the religious party to end the countrywide protests over acquittal of Aasia Bibi.

He said: “We had two options: either to use force, and when you use force people can be killed. That is not something a state should do… We tried negotiations and (in) negotiations you take something and you leave something.”

“We need to take steps against extremism, we need to take steps against such kind of violent protesters and we need to come up with a permanent solution. Right now this is not a cure. This is firefighting, what we are doing. The cure is the real thing and our government is committed to the cure.”

Fawad clarified that the decision on whether or not to bar Aasia Bibi from leaving the country would be made by a court, and added the government would “take all steps necessary” to ensure Aasia Bibi’s safety.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior issued directives for a crackdown on mobsters who damaged property during the demonstrations.

In a statement, the ministry said elements who vandalized public and private properties in the guise of protests across the country would be prosecuted, adding that such individuals would be identified with the help of videos and CCTV footage.

It sought details about the damage caused to properties from the Punjab government and law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, Punjab police have booked TLP  leaders Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Peer Muhammad Afzal Qadri on charges of rioting and disrupting peace in Lahore.

Around 500 party supporters, including their leaders, have been booked for disrupting peace and blocking roads in the provincial capital.

The protests erupted across the country after the Supreme Court acquitted Aasia Bibi of blasphemy charges on Oct 31. The demonstration ended after the government reached an agreement with demonstrators late on Friday night.

Addressing a press conference, Patron in Chief TLP Peer Muhammad Afzal Qadri said that his party had reached a five-point agreement with the government while some verbal points were also agreed upon to call off the sit-in.