LAHORE, November 30: In a dramatic turn of events protesters belonging to Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) calling for Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s resignation after camping out in front of the provincial assembly on Mall road here for sixth day Thursday.
The protesters have announced that the sit-in will not end till the acceptance of all its demands by the Punjab government.
The leader of the faction, Dr Ashraf Asif Jalali is persistent that they will not call of their protest until Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah tenders his resignation.
Denying reaching an agreement with the government, Dr Ashraf Asif Jalali refused to have links with the protesters blocked Faizabad Interchange for three weeks. “I do not recognize the agreement between government and Khadim Hussain Rizvi as Rizvi does not head TLYRA,” he said.
Calling for Rana Sanaullah’s resignation, Jalali, whose party is staging a sit-in outside Punjab Assembly, said that his party would continue the protest until their demand is met.
“He (Khadim Hussain Rizvi) is heading a different organisation and is on a different path since about a year. I, as chairman (TLYRA), sent him a show cause notice, he did not reply and registered his party in Election Commission as Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP),” said Jalali.
He has also demanded to public Raja Zafarul Haq report, register FIR against Sanaullah and against those involved in killing the men during protest and lifetime disqualification for the parliamentarians who signed the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat bill.
He said he supported Khadim Hussain Rizvi in his cause but does not recognize the agreement between the cleric and the government as he (Jalali) was not taken into confidence.
Expressing concerns over the recent agreement, he warned extending their protest to other provinces over the government’s apathy to make a response to their demand.
However; the provincial law minister has refused to tender his resignation as demanded by a right-wing group saying that they have gotten the resignation they had initially demanded.
On the other, lesser number of protesters are present in the sit-in while public representation is also minimal.
The sit-in has led to blockade of the main thoroughfare causing huge traffic jam on Mall Road and alternate routes of Lawrence Road, Mozang Road, Fane Road, Safan Wala Chowk, Cooper Road, Kashmir Road, Laxmi Chowk and its surroundings.-DNA
