ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan will commence the hearing of a petition seeking the release of Saad Hussain Rizvi, leader of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Monday.
According to details, a two-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah will hear the case on July 12. The petition, filed by Saad’s uncle, calls for the annulment of his “illegal detention” claiming there was no proof on record against him.
The petition further claims that 26 people were killed and over 400 activists of the party were injured in police firing during the TLP protests in April.
“Authorities took all actions on the basis of apprehensions and so called reports of agencies,” it said, adding that the government did not place before the court details of an agreement, dated November 16, 2020, regarding the expulsion of the French ambassador from the country.
In the plea, the Punjab government, Lahore deputy commissioner, Lahore police chief, superintendent Kot Lakhpat Jail and SHO Nawan Kot Police Station have been made as respondents.
Saad Rizvi, son of the late Khadim Hussain, was detained on April 12 over allegations that he had incited his followers to take the law into their own hands as, according to him, the government had gone back on its promise to expel the French ambassador.
The party had been pressing the government for the expulsion of the French ambassador to Pakistan ever since blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) were published in France and their publication was supported by the French president.
LHC release order
Earlier on July 8, a review board of the Lahore High Court had released its detailed order in case related to the detention of Saad Hussain Rizvi, observing that he should be “released forthwith” if he was not required in any other case.
In its detailed order, the three-member LHC review board, led by Justice Malik Shehzad, said the government counsel argued that Saad was detained on the basis of district intelligence reports in order to control deteriorating law and order.
“The law officer or representatives of the government who appeared before the board didn’t produce any evidence that detenu Saad Rizvi was in contact with any person in the outside world during his detention,” the order read, adding that the government had presented one side of its claim regarding law and order which showed its malice.
