[DAWN] Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry informed the Senate on Wednesday that the government had been forced to negotiate with protesters of the Faizabad sit-in because it had been left alone in the matter.Giving his comments on an adjournment motion about the Faizabad sit-in, Chaudhry said the Elections Act 2017 had been prepared by all parliamentarians, but only the government was targeted for the change in the Khatm-e-Naboowat oath.
He said no political party had taken the stance that the oath change was a collective mistake.
The fighting that spilled onto the streets following the sit-in could have huge consequences, Chaudhry said, adding that the government had decided to act against the protesters to comply with court orders and after receiving notice for contempt of court.
"This [Faizabad] sit-in ended, but it can be said that the end [of the protest] was not exemplary," he said.
Giving background of the sit-in, the minister said the first sit-in was staged in Pakistain in 2012. He said the sit-in had ended after an agreement with the protesters and the opposition had supported the government at the time.