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Islamabad, April 19 (IANS) Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Monday announced that after a successful round of negotiation with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the banned outfit had released 11 policemen taken hostage from Lahore a day earlier.
"First round of negotiations have been successful which have led to TLP releasing the policemen it had held hostage. The second round of negotiations will begin after 'sehri'," The Express Tribune quoted the Minister as saying in a video message.
The 11 hostages included a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
On Sunday, clashes erupted between TLP members and police at Multan road in Lahore, leaving "a few" group supporters killed and more than 100 injured, according to sources.
For at least three days, TLP protesters have choked Pakistan, staging sit-ins at the main highways.
Angry mobs have had violent confrontations with the security forces, resulting in martyrdom of three police officers, while hundreds others were critically injured due to the torture and assault they suffered in the hands of the TLP protesters.
On April 14, the Pakistan government decided to put a ban on TLP under the anti-terrorism law, the summary of which was later approved by the Prime Minister.
In November last year, the TLP had staged a sit-in in Rawalpindi demanding expulsion of the French Ambassador over publication of blasphemous caricatures.
The protest brought the capital Islamabad and other major cities to a complete standstill as highways were blocked by the protesters and violent confrontations with tear gar, rubber bullets and water cannons were used by security forces to disperse the mob.
However, the group ended the protest after reaching an agreement with the government, claiming that all of its four demands had been accepted.
The government had agreed to involve Parliament to decide the matter of expulsion of French Ambassador within three months.
As the deadline ended on February 16 and the government failed to meet the agreement terms, TLP decided to take to the streets again with the same demand.
--IANS
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