LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Monday stated that he is willing to appear before a board of Islamic scholars to clarify any misunderstandings regarding his controversial statement.
The minister stated this while speaking on a talk show on a 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 Islamic scholars 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 Hussain 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 refused 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 are still occupied by protesters showing no signs of earlier 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 scholars. 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.
Reiterating his demand for Sanuallah’s resignation, Dr Ashraf Jalali while talking to a private news channel on Tuesday, said that the Punjab law minister’s resignation was highly important as compared to that of former federal law minister Zahid Hamid.
Jalali said that his party had demanded Punjab law minister’s resignation on October 12, while adding that it was astonishing why the Faizabad protestors in Islamabad had failed to raise the demand for Sanuallah’s resignation in the talks held at the end of the sit-in.
He also hinted towards the probability of another protest in Islamabad by his party to demand the resignation of the Punjab law minister.
It is pertinent to mention here that Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called a party meeting to discuss the issue of Rana Sanuallah’s resignation. Speaking on the occasion, Shehbaz said that the demand of religious parties regarding Punjab law minister’s resignation was unjustified.
A way towards redemption was offered to Sanaullah on Tuesday when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Zaeem Qadri said that Pir Hameeduddin Sialwi has offered to reconsider his demand regarding resignation of Sanaullah if the law minister appears before him to clarify his stance on the finality of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Replying to a question regarding Sanuallah’s stance on the resignation matter, Qadri said that earlier the demand for resignation was unconditional but now the matter has been linked to the clarification.