LAHORE: The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has threatened to relaunch its protest if the government does not fulfill its promise of expelling the French ambassador by Feb 17 on the issue of blasphemy of Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“We’re bound to honour the agreement till Feb 17. A war for (protecting) the honour of the Prophet (SAW) has been waged. If someone has some misunderstanding, it must be removed as we pledge that there shall be no delay in taking a decision after February 17,” the newly-appointed leader of the TLP, Maulana Saad Rizvi, said at the chehlum of his father and founder of the outfit, Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi.

Khadim Rizvi died on Nov 19, 2020, two days after the TLP signed an agreement with the government for ending its protest in Islamabad on the publications of caricatures of the Prophet of Islam (SAW) in France.

The agreement read the government would get a decision made by the Parliament regarding expulsion of the French ambassador within three months and it would not appoint its ambassador to France and release all the arrested workers of the TLP. The government will not register any case against the TLP leaders or workers even after it calls off the sit-in.

The last two demands were met immediately but a decision on the first two is still pending.

“If you have forgotten the promise, see our history. Now we’re even more ready to die (for the honour of the Prophet (SAW)). You’ve got time until Feb 17 to expel the French ambassador,” Saad warned the government while addressing thousands of the TLP workers attending the chehlum.

He said he had become a leader from among the party workers and thus fully understood the aspirations of the workers and added that earlier the workers would come for financial donations for the cause but they were now coming to offer their lives.

He said the TLP was bound to honour the commitment made with the government for waiting for three months to let the rulers enact laws through the Parliament on severing diplomatic ties with France but it would not keep quiet after the deadline.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2021