Sheikh Rasheed to lead negotiations with banned outfit: sources

LAHORE: Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed would lead a government team negotiating with the banned outfit staging a march towards Islamabad from Lahore, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the matter, the talks with the banned outfit would resume shortly and would not be held at Kot Lakhpat Jail. “They will rather be held at an undisclosed location,” they said.

The sources further said that the government delegation would be led by Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed while the banned outfit TLP would be represented by its senior leaders.

A previous report earlier in the day said that the government’s negotiating team comprises of Federal Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid, Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri and Punjab’s law minister Raja Basharat.

Pir Noorul Haq Qadri on instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan has reached Lahore from Karachi today and started contacts with various religious leaders.

“The government believes to settle issues with dialogue. Protection of life and property is the foremost priority of the government,” Qadri said.

The prime minister has also directed Shaikh Rashid to reach Lahore for talks with the protesting group.

Meanwhile, the outlawed group also announced its negotiating team and it included Mufti Muhammad Wazir Ali, Allama Ghulam Abbas Faizi and Mufti Muhammad Umair al-Zahiri, according to a statement.