New Delhi

Imran Khan may be taking his own sweet time to announce a ban on the Tehreek-e-Libyaak Pakistan (TLP) under anti-terrorism law, the damage to its relationship with Europe is done.

The French embassy in Islamabad has asked its nationals and companies in Pakistan to leave the country temporarily as there is a threat to the French interests due to the continuing protests that have nearly paralysed Punjab and parts of Sindh provinces.

TLP has been virtually controlling the streets across Punjab and Sind for three days following arrest of its chief Saad Hassain Rizvi from Lahore. During the protests, half a dozen people including police officials have been killed and scores of people injured after protests broke out in different cities against TLP chief’s detention.

One of the demands of the TLP to Imran Khan government is that government should expel the French ambassador in Islamabad in protest against his country’s anti-Muslim moves, especially president Emanuel Macron’s  stand on the right of newspapers to publish cartoons that are considered blasphemous by Muslims.

France has advised that French citizens and companies should temporarily leave Pakistan due to serious threats on French interests in the country after violent clashes in the country this week.

The embassy had sent message overnight to French citizens and companies following a threat by the TLP to target French interests.

Pakistani experts have been demanding closure of all patronage and support to the terror groups that are created for political reasons. It seems the TLP was created to divide the supporters of the Mian Nawaz Sharif’s party Muslim League (N) by the ‘establishment’ as the deep state of Pakistan is referred to as.

Experts debating the recent developments on various TV channels says that the PTI’s defeat in a by election in Punjab at the hands of PMLN candidate had unnerved those not wanting the former Prime Minister to return from exile.

Saad Rizvi is the son of the firebrand cleric, and previous head of the TLP, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who died in November last year.

TLP cadres blocked highways, imprisoned policemen and beat them up caused traffic snarls that led critical CORONA patients to reach hospital too late. Pakistan’s interior minister Sheikh Rashid has claimed the Punjab government has recommended banning the TLP. However the final decision will be taken by the Imran Khan government at its cabinet meeting.

Strategic experts have been warning Imran Khan government that spoiling relations with france would mean earning the wrath of the European union and also end to Pakistanis entry to Europe.

The TLP had been demanding the expulsion of the French ambassador over the publication of blasphemous caricatures. In November last year, the party staged a sit-in in Rawalpindi, which ended after an agreement with the government.

The party announced on November 17 that the government had accepted all its four demands. The TLP had released a copy of the handwritten agreement, carrying signatures of Qadri, then interior minister Ijaz Shah and the deputy commissioner, Islamabad.

The agreement had stated that the government would take a decision from the parliament regarding the expulsion of the French ambassador within three months, will not appoint its ambassador to France and release all the arrested workers of the TLP.