Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has said that he was in favour of holding negotiations with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) from day one, but was not aware of its recent agreement with the government.

Addressing participants after inaugurating Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Hall in Government Associate College for Women in Rawalpindi on Thursday, Rashid said everyone will know about the contents of the pact when the government makes it public.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that some of the the allies of the government and the opposition have reservations on the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in next elections. The joint sitting of the parliament has been postponed as the government wants to address grievances of the opposition and allies, the minister stated.

Regarding development work in Rawalpindi, he said that in a short span of time three women’s colleges were established in the city.

"Special attention is being paid to girls’ education in the city and we constructed three universities and seven colleges."

TLP-govt pact

A few days ago, former Ruet-i-Hilal Committee chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman announced that negotiations between the government and TLP had been successful.

Addressing a press conference along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, and leaders of the TLP Shura in Islamabad, Muneeb said that the details of the agreement will be made public soon.

He said a steering committee has been formed which will oversee the implementation of the pact. "Ali Muhammad Khan will head the committee," he said.

"The participants of the agreement entered the accord in the best interest of the country and its people. This agreement was reached before any untoward incident," he stated.