Authorities have launched a widescale crackdown on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP), arresting over 2500 members of the religio-political party across Punjab.
According to police, 251 people were detained in Lahore, 135 in Gujranwala, 178 in Sheikhupura, and 128 in Sialkot.
In addition, 80 were detained in Gujrat, 196 in Rawalpindi, and 210 in Mandi Bahauddin, while arrests have also been made in Attock and Sadiqabad.
Police report that 76 cases have been registered at various police stations across Punjab in connection with the arrests.
It is worth mentioning that during clashes with TLP protesters, one police inspector was martyred, and 250 police officers and personnel were injured.
The Punjab police lodged at least 22 FIRs against TLP chief Saad Rizvi and his violent supporters across the province on various serious offences. In the primary FIR, Muridke police booked over 300 suspects on serious charges, ranging from terrorism to murder.
Besides Mr Rizvi, his brother Anas Rizvi and many central leaders were also booked for inciting hate and instigating workers to raise anti-state slogans.
On the other hand, the authorities have launched a money-laundering investigation against TLP chief Saad Rizvi after “huge sums” of foreign currency were allegedly recovered from his residence in Lahore during a raid by the law enforcement agencies.
The Punjab police said the raid was conducted by the provincial police, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), adding that all items, including the gold ornaments, were confiscated. The raid at the residence of the TLP chief came after the crackdown on the outfit’s march on Sunday night. Police said Mr Rizvi had escaped during the crackdown in Muridke.
