Almost 1000 workers of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) were set free on Tuesday, reported 24NewsHd TV channel.
The Punjab Home Department said the workers who were not named in any case were allowed to walk free, clarifying that those facing cases are not being released.
Sources said that the decision to release the workers was taken after the second meeting of the steering committee that was set up in line with the agreement reached between the government and the banned outfit.
In the first phase, the workers who were not directly involved in violence would be set free, the sources said, adding that they were taken into custody to avoid any law and order situation.
The long march of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik has been turned into a sit-in with the activists of the banned religious outfit vowing to stay on the roads until the government starts implementing the points agreed in the recently concluded accord.
Reportedly, due to the closure of the bridge built on the GT Road Chanab Pul and Khanki Barrage, this area has been cut off for several days. The security forces are still stationed here. People are facing a shortage of food supply.
Though the outlawed TLP activists were holding a sit-in in Wazirabad, the administration has opened several roads and allowed traffic to pass through from Wazirabad to Gujranwala and Sialkot.
The Chenab Bridge is still closed. However, from Jhelum Bridge, barriers and other hurdles have been removed.
The educational institutes, businesses and offices have been opened in Jhelum.
Meanwhile, the inside story of the steering committee meeting which was held on Monday to deliberate on adopting measures to implement conditions of the agreement reached between the government and the banned TLP came to light.
According to sources, 1,000 TLP activists would be released tonight (Tuesday). Besides this, another 1,300 TLP people would also be freed today.
Sources further revealed that the government would take back cases against hundreds of activists of the banned religious outfit.
The government has sought the list of the TLP activists whose names are included in the Fourth Schedule. The names of dozens of banned TLP leaders would be taken out from the Fourth Schedule.
The meeting decided to hold a conference between the government and the outlawed religious party’s lawyers to discuss the legal complications.
Reporters Nayyar Alam, Usman Khan