Federal cabinet decides against lifting ban on TLP

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday decided to keep the ban intact on the Tehrike-labbaik Pakistan (TLP) for an indefinite time.

Briefing reporters about the decisions taken by the cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that it was decided that the ban on the TLP would not be lited.

A report on the TLP was presented in the cabinet on which the decision to keep it outlawed was maintained.

He said the TLP activists killed policemen and damaged public and private properties worth billions of rupees during its protest demanding expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan sometime back.

Chaudhry said that the government would approach the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to request that the TLP should be deregistered as a political party and banned from contesting any elections.

He said the cabinet also decided to give a 15 per cent special allowance to the personnel of the armed forces.

He said that the salaries for armed forces personnel had been stagnant for two years while the civilian employees’ pay had been raised.

The minister said that the cabinet further decided to form a joint investigation committee to look into the cases instituted against Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI) leader and the leader of opposition in the Sindh Assembly by the Sindh government so that justice could be done to him.

A report about the security protocol provided to the federal ministers and other VIPS was presented in the cabinet.

The prime minister directed that the security provided to them should be rationalised.

“Pakistan is keenly monitoring the fast changing situation in Afghanistan and making all out efforts for an all-encompassing government in Kabul,” Chaudhry told reporters.

He said in the past Pakistan had an open 2,700km border with Afghanistan, which has now been fenced, and in case of new refugees, appropriate steps would be initiated to handle them in a systematic manner.

The cabinet also approved three holidays on Eid Al Adha.

The information minister that said while reviewing the situation of the coronavirus in the country, the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) had suggested 5 holidays but the cabinet only approved three holidays.

Chaudhry said that the federal cabinet has approved public holidays on July 21, 20 and 22 on Eid Al Adha.