RAWALPINDI: The government and the representatives of Tehreek-e-Labbaik agreed on Monday to form a committee headed by Pir Haseen ud Deen Shah to end the two-week-long Faizabad Interchange protest.
Despite talks between the two sides for the second consecutive day at Punjab House, a deadlock persists between the authorities and protesters over the Faizabad blockade.
Protesters are continuing to demand the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid.
According to them, Hamid is responsible for the hastily-abandoned amendment in the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat clause in Election Act 2017.
Following the meeting, Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yousuf while reading out a joint communique of the meeting, announced that the committee headed by Shah and comprising of scholars of different schools of thought would come up with a solution to the problem.
It was also decided that the recommendation made by the Raja Zafarul Haq-led committee to find the real culprit behind the ‘gaffe’ in electoral reforms law, would be made public.
Talking to reporters, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said they want the protesters to disperse peacefully. “The government does not want to take any decision in a haste,” he said. “Whoever is responsible for the faux pas will be brought to the fore.”
Earlier, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique urged the protesters to provide relief to the residents of the twin cities, saying government does not want to use force to get the interchange cleared.
“There’s no justification for Zahid Hamid’s resignation before a probe is conducted, Rafique said, adding that a committee led by Haq was already looking into the matter.”