Govt to take action against those involved in vandalism during protest: Murad
The minister says no one can be allowed to damage the public and private properties
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Minister of State for Communications, Murad Saeed on Saturday said that the government has decided to take action against those involved in vandalism during the countrywide protests after the Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi in the blasphemy case.
The state minister said that action will be taken against those involved in damaging the properties of National Highway Authority (NHA), adding that the departments including Interior Ministry have been asked to help identify elements behind vandalizing the properties.
“The videos and photographs made after Supreme Court’s verdict would be reviewed,” Murad said.
Pakistan’s constitution allows to hold peaceful demonstrations, he said and added the announcement of having no links with these elements by the protest leaders was a welcoming step.
The minister went on to say that no one can be allowed to damage the public and private properties at the other hand.
He said: The properties of NHA were damaged during the two days of protest and billions of rupees would be needed to rebuild these properties.”
Earlier, Tehreek e Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) had announced to end the sit-in protests against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi in blasphemy case after reaching a five point agreement with the government late last night.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, 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.
The agreement to this effect has been signed by Minister of Religious Affairs Dr Noor ul Haq Qadri and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat from the government side.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan Patron in Chief Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri and Central Nazim Muhammad Waheed Noor also signed the document on behalf of their organization.
According to agreement, a review appeal has been filed in the case of Asia Bibi which is the legal right of complainants and government will have no objection on it.
Immediate legal action will be taken on deaths, if any, in the movement against the acquittal of Asia Bibi. The agreement adds that people who have been arrested against the acquittal of Asia Masih from October 30th onwards will be immediately released.
During the three day course of routine-life crippling protests, economic activities came to standstill across country inflicting mammoth loss on national exchequer.
Besides closure of educational institutes, the country witnessed shortage of petrol and food. The major thoroughfares of Lahore including historic Mall road and Ferozepur road are filled with litter. Enraged hooligans wreaked havoc on public properties, torched bikes and cars.
According to a rough estimate by financial analysts, the sit-ins have inflicted a mammoth loss of Rs150 billion on national exchequer at time when country is already passing through one of the worst economic quagmire of its history.
