LAHORE: The provincial government of Punjab decided to withdraw almost forty cases against Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief, Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi, and its workers, several media outlets reported on Friday.
According to sources, in the first phase, 20 cases against Saad Rizvi and others with a sentence of 3 years or less will be withdrawn and in the second phase, cases of 5 years or less will be withdrawn. Meanwhile, Punjab Home Department has asserted that the cases against Saad Rizvi were being handled legally.
Sources further claimed that the TLP was assured that the government would not pursue minor cases against the TLP leadership and workers, but the cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act would be decided by courts.
It also assured the TLP leadership that it would unfreeze the accounts and assets of the proscribed outfit and take steps to lift the ban on it.
A day ago, the Punjab government removed Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi’s name from the Fourth Schedule — a list of proscribed individuals who are suspected of terrorism or sectarianism under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.
A notification issued by the Punjab Home Department dated November 10 stated that the “name of Hafiz Mohammad Saad, being Ameer of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, a proscribed organisation, was listed in the 4th Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, under Section 11-E on the recommendations of District Intelligence Committee, Lahore.”
It noted that the government had removed the TLP from the First Schedule of the Act as a proscribed organisation on Nov 7. “Therefore, name of Hafiz Mohammad Saad is hereby deleted from the list of 4th Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, with immediate effect,” it stated.
Police had arrested Rizvi on April 12 this year ahead of planned protests by the TLP. The next day, police registered a first information report (FIR) against the TLP chief under sections of the ATA. His name was placed on the Fourth Schedule shortly after, on April 16.
