Rangers being deployed in Punjab for two months: Sheikh Rashid

"A notification in this regard has been issued by the federal government," he told a presser. 

The announcement followed the ongoing protests staged by the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

Rashid said the group had "another agenda" so he was authorising Punjab government to call in Rangers.

The interior minister said the government wanted to establish peace as there was a lot of pressure on Pakistan.

"Since the ambassador of France is not present in Pakistan, the proscribed organisation seems to have another agenda."

"I have warned the supporters of the proscribed organisation to return home," Rasheed said, adding that if the international community decides to impose a ban on its activities, then it would be beyond the control of the Pakistan government to intervene.

The minister said he had spoken to the banned group at 3:30am last night and told them to look at the situation in the country. "I told them that the French ambassador is not even in Pakistan. This shows that they have another agenda."

The minister said that the group had committed that it would reopen roads that it had previously blocked. He added that he had directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take strict action against those spreading fake news on social media.

He said that three policemen had been martyred and 70 injured, of whom eight were in critical condition.