Pakistan is taking steps to allow Tehrik-e-Labaik, a banned Islamic group to contest elections. As per negotiators on both sides, Pakistan government will also free more than 2000 jailed activists of the group.

In return, the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan has agreed to shun the politics of violence and withdraw its longstanding demand to have France`s ambassador expelled over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad by a French satirical magazine, they told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

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The caricatures have triggered repeated demonstrations by the group to protest at what it considers blasphemy. 
Prime Minister Imran Khan`s government banned the TLP after its protests turned violent earlier this year, designated it a terrorist group and arrested its chief Saad Rizvi.

Although neither sides gave details, the government and TLP said that an agreement had been reached to help end clashes.

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Two members of the TLP`s negotiating team and one from the government side told Reuters the centrepiece of the deal was to lift the ban and allow the group to contest elections.

"The state has acknowledged that the TLP is neither a terrorist group nor a banned outfit," another member of the TLP negotiation team, Bashir Farooqi, separately told local Dunya News TV.

In addition, the government has agreed not to contest the release of the group`s jailed leader as well as nearly 2,300 activists and to remove their names from a terrorist watch list, the three negotiators told Reuters.

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Punjab province Law Minister Raja Basharat said nearly 1,000 of the activists had already been released. 
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry did not respond to a request for comment.

The settlement came after seven police officers were killed and hundreds more were wounded as they confronted thousands of TLP demonstrators marching up Pakistan`s busiest highway from the eastern city of Lahore to the capital Islamabad.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan is taking steps to allow Tehrik-e-Labaik, a banned Islamic group to contest elections. As per negotiators on both sides, Pakistan government will also free more than 2000 jailed activists of the group.

Pakistan is taking steps to allow Tehrik-e-Labaik, a banned Islamic group to contest elections. As per negotiators on both sides, Pakistan government will also free more than 2000 jailed activists of the group. In return, the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan has agreed to shun the politics of violence and withdraw its longstanding demand to have France`s ambassador expelled over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad by a French satirical magazine, they told Reuters on condition of anonymity. × The caricatures have triggered repeated demonstrations by the group to protest at what it considers blasphemy. Prime Minister Imran Khan`s government banned the TLP after its protests turned violent earlier this year, designated it a terrorist group and arrested its chief Saad Rizvi. Although neither sides gave details, the government and TLP said that an agreement had been reached to help end clashes. Also Read | Pak panellist's comparison of banana growth in India and Pakistan leaves anchor in splits on air Two members of the TLP`s negotiating team and one from the government side told Reuters the centrepiece of the deal was to lift the ban and allow the group to contest elections. "The state has acknowledged that the TLP is neither a terrorist group nor a banned outfit," another member of the TLP negotiation team, Bashir Farooqi, separately told local Dunya News TV. In addition, the government has agreed not to contest the release of the group`s jailed leader as well as nearly 2,300 activists and to remove their names from a terrorist watch list, the three negotiators told Reuters. Also Read | First target is to destroy Pakistan: ISIS-K blames Islamabad for Afghanistan chaos Punjab province Law Minister Raja Basharat said nearly 1,000 of the activists had already been released. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry did not respond to a request for comment. The settlement came after seven police officers were killed and hundreds more were wounded as they confronted thousands of TLP demonstrators marching up Pakistan`s busiest highway from the eastern city of Lahore to the capital Islamabad. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan to allow banned Islamic group TLP to contest elections

A banned Islamist group prepared to march on&nbsp;Pakistan's capital Islamabad despite last-minute negotiations with the government that the country's interior minister said on Thursday evening were deadlocked.

Thousands of members of the banned Tehrik-e-Labaik&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;(TLP) group had been gathered since last Friday on a highway, just outside the eastern city of Lahore, with a series of demands including the release of their imprisoned leader.

On Thursday they began marching north towards&nbsp;Pakistan's capital after a series of deadly clashes with police the previous evening.

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"We have started marching towards Islamabad, police have barricaded the road, but we will remove them," a TLP spokesman told Reuters.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said on Thursday evening that the government was in talks with TLP and he had spoken to the group's imprisoned leader Saad Rizvi by phone but so far no deal had been reached.

"What we have agreed with the TLP, we stand by with it, but they are still not listening to us and are not stepping down," he said in an interview with local broadcaster Geo.

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The government has said that it would agree to most of the group's demands, including freeing Rizvi, but would not agree to formally expelling the French ambassador.

"If they dont go back, there will be consequences," Rasheed said, adding he was prepared to continue talks in the coming days.

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Clashes on Wednesday evening killed around four police officers and several TLP members, and wounded dozens. The country's information minister had said they would be treated with full force as a militant group and not allowed to enter the capital, where shipping containers had been set up to block roads.

Besides demanding the release of their leader and their removal from a list of banned organisations, the TLP activists have been calling for the expulsion of France's ambassador over the publication of a series of caricatures depicting the Prophet Mohammad by a French satirical magazine.

It is the group's third countrywide protest campaign since 2017 over caricatures that are considered deeply insulting by Muslims.

A banned Islamist group prepared to march on Pakistan's capital Islamabad despite last-minute negotiations with the government that the country's interior minister said on Thursday evening were deadlocked.

A banned Islamist group prepared to march on Pakistan's capital Islamabad despite last-minute negotiations with the government that the country's interior minister said on Thursday evening were deadlocked. Thousands of members of the banned Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) group had been gathered since last Friday on a highway, just outside the eastern city of Lahore, with a series of demands including the release of their imprisoned leader. On Thursday they began marching north towards Pakistan's capital after a series of deadly clashes with police the previous evening. "We have started marching towards Islamabad, police have barricaded the road, but we will remove them," a TLP spokesman told Reuters. Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said on Thursday evening that the government was in talks with TLP and he had spoken to the group's imprisoned leader Saad Rizvi by phone but so far no deal had been reached. "What we have agreed with the TLP, we stand by with it, but they are still not listening to us and are not stepping down," he said in an interview with local broadcaster Geo. Also read | Pakistan: 4 cops among 8 killed, over 250 injured in clashes between proscribed Islamist group and police The government has said that it would agree to most of the group's demands, including freeing Rizvi, but would not agree to formally expelling the French ambassador. "If they dont go back, there will be consequences," Rasheed said, adding he was prepared to continue talks in the coming days. Also see | Arms, trade and terror: How the Pakistan-Afghanistan-China link was established decades ago Clashes on Wednesday evening killed around four police officers and several TLP members, and wounded dozens. The country's information minister had said they would be treated with full force as a militant group and not allowed to enter the capital, where shipping containers had been set up to block roads. Besides demanding the release of their leader and their removal from a list of banned organisations, the TLP activists have been calling for the expulsion of France's ambassador over the publication of a series of caricatures depicting the Prophet Mohammad by a French satirical magazine. It is the group's third countrywide protest campaign since 2017 over caricatures that are considered deeply insulting by Muslims.

Pakistan Islamist group vows to march to capital amid deadlock in talks with govt

Pakistan on Friday blocked off roads into Islamabad, the capital, as an Islamist party that backs strict blasphemy laws staged a sit-in on a key highway, demanding the resignation of a minister it blames for changes to an electoral oath.

Dozens of Pakistanis are on death row, convicted of having insulted Islam&rsquo;s prophet, a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, although no executions have been carried out.

More than 500 supporters of the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan party, or Movement of the Prophet&rsquo;s Followers, chanted slogans as speakers addressed them from atop a cargo truck, pledging their lives to protect Pakistan&rsquo;s blasphemy laws.

The protesters demanded the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they hold responsible for the law change, and denounced him as a blasphemer.

&ldquo;Immediately appear before us and beg for forgiveness,&rdquo; said one speaker.

Two high court lawyers who joined the sit-in said they would work to advance Labaik&rsquo;s agenda in the courts. &ldquo;He (Hamid) has insulted the blasphemy laws, the punishment for which is death,&rdquo; said one of the lawyers.

Pakistan&rsquo;s interior ministry did not immediately answer telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment.

The ruling Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) unexpectedly set off a firestorm last month after voting through the alteration of the oath, among seemingly small changes to the nation&rsquo;s electoral law. The changes prompted accusations of blasphemy from religious parties and the government retreated, apologising in parliament for what it called a &ldquo;clerical&rdquo; mistake.

But the apology did not satisfy Tehreek-e-Labaik, triggering the sit-in, as the culmination of a march of nearly 400 km (249 miles) from the eastern city of Lahore.

The party rose to prominence in September, after placing third in a by-election in Lahore, edging out a major opposition party to pick up 6 percent of the vote. Last month, it gained nearly 8 percent in a by-election in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

While Tehrik-e-Labaik is unlikely to break out of single digits in coming votes, its rapid rise could present a challenge for the PML-N.

On a bridge overlooking the highway demonstration site, drivers of trucks halted by blockades erected by city authorities complained about cargo delivery delays.

One commuter unable to take public transport to work told Reuters his business had suffered. &ldquo;I run a tailoring shop and can&rsquo;t go to work today,&rdquo; said Mohammad Altaf. &ldquo;I have lost a day&rsquo;s earnings.&rdquo;

Dozens of Pakistanis are on death row, convicted of having insulted Islam?s prophet, a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, although no executions have been carried out.B

Pakistan on Friday blocked off roads into Islamabad, the capital, as an Islamist party that backs strict blasphemy laws staged a sit-in on a key highway, demanding the resignation of a minister it blames for changes to an electoral oath. Dozens of Pakistanis are on death row, convicted of having insulted Islam’s prophet, a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, although no executions have been carried out. More than 500 supporters of the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan party, or Movement of the Prophet’s Followers, chanted slogans as speakers addressed them from atop a cargo truck, pledging their lives to protect Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The protesters demanded the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they hold responsible for the law change, and denounced him as a blasphemer. “Immediately appear before us and beg for forgiveness,” said one speaker. Two high court lawyers who joined the sit-in said they would work to advance Labaik’s agenda in the courts. “He (Hamid) has insulted the blasphemy laws, the punishment for which is death,” said one of the lawyers. Pakistan’s interior ministry did not immediately answer telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment. The ruling Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) unexpectedly set off a firestorm last month after voting through the alteration of the oath, among seemingly small changes to the nation’s electoral law. The changes prompted accusations of blasphemy from religious parties and the government retreated, apologising in parliament for what it called a “clerical” mistake. But the apology did not satisfy Tehreek-e-Labaik, triggering the sit-in, as the culmination of a march of nearly 400 km (249 miles) from the eastern city of Lahore. The party rose to prominence in September, after placing third in a by-election in Lahore, edging out a major opposition party to pick up 6 percent of the vote. Last month, it gained nearly 8 percent in a by-election in the northwestern city of Peshawar. While Tehrik-e-Labaik is unlikely to break out of single digits in coming votes, its rapid rise could present a challenge for the PML-N. On a bridge overlooking the highway demonstration site, drivers of trucks halted by blockades erected by city authorities complained about cargo delivery delays. One commuter unable to take public transport to work told Reuters his business had suffered. “I run a tailoring shop and can’t go to work today,” said Mohammad Altaf. “I have lost a day’s earnings.”

Pakistan blocks roads as blasphemy law supporters protest