Rana Sanaullah says willing to clarify before Ulema regarding controversial statement

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Monday stated that he is willing to appear to before Ulema to clarify any misunderstandings regarding his controversial statement.

The minister stated this while speaking on a talk show on local media outlet. Sana said that he had conceded to the condition put forward by Tehreek Labbaik leader Pir Afzal Qadri to appear before a board of Ulema constituted by the religious party whenever and wherever required to clarify his position.

Responding to a question about the Lahore sit-in led by religious scholar Dr Ashraf Jalali demanding his resignation, Sanaullah claimed that it is up to Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) chief Khadim Rizvi to decide when he wants to call off the Lahore sit-in since the government has already signed an agreement with his party.

“It is their party’s internal matter. We have entered into an agreement with Khadim Hussain Rizvi and it is now his (Rizvi) responsibility to call off this sit-in in Lahore,” he stated.

Sanaullah further claimed that if TYLR wanted his resignation, they should have tabled it when the negotiations with the government were underway.

Despite successful negotiations between the government and protesters occupying Faizabad sit-in after an unsuccessful operation by the law enforcement agencies, protesters in various parts of Lahore refuse to disperse and amongst other areas, have continued their sit-in in front of Punjab Assembly.

Earlier on Monday morning, TLYR chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi had ordered his followers to end sit-ins across the country after the government gave in to their demands, however, Mall Road and Shahdara area in Lahore is still occupied by protesters and there are no signs of their evacuation.

The protesters in Lahore are demonstrating under the patronage of Tehreek Sirat-e-Mustaqeem founder Ashraf Asif Jalali.

Jalali and his followers are refusing to budge from the scene because, according to them, although the government has verbally accepted a few of their demands, no action has been taken thus far. Jalali asked his workers to continue the sit-in for the fourth consecutive day and wait for the future course of action.

The group’s demands include the resignation of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and appearance before the court of Sunni Ullema. The religious leader also called for disqualification of all parliamentarians involved in the proposal of the amendment in Khatm-e-Nabuwwat clause, urging the government to release the name of the ‘mastermind’ who hurt religious sentiments of Muslims.