Pakistan: Lahore police on high alert as TLP stages protest for its chief's release
Oct 21, 2021
Lahore [Pakistan], October 21 : Pakistan's Lahore Police were put on high alert after Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) resumed protest on the occasion of the Eid Milad by staging a massive sit-in near its headquarters in the city.
Dawn reported that hundreds of activists and workers of the proscribed TLP participated in the sit-in to put pressure on the Punjab government for the release of its chief Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi, a son of its late founder Khadim Rizvi.
Rizvi has been detained by the Punjab government since April 12 for "maintenance of public order (MPO)". He was initially detained for three months and then again under the Anti-Terrorist Act on July 10. A federal review board is scheduled to take up the government's reference against him on October 23, as per the publication.
A division bench of the Lahore High Court is yet to be constituted to hear an appeal of the government against a decision of a single bench that had set aside the detention of the TLP leader. On October 12, the Supreme Court had suspended the operations of the single bench's order and remanded the case for a fresh decision by a division bench.
Earlier, the TLP took out a massive rally where its senior leaders delivered fiery speeches, accusing the government of using delay tactics in releasing Saad Rizvi, Dawn reported.
Addressing the participants, a member of TLP's Majalis-i-Shura (central executive), Syed Afzaal Hussain Shah, made an announcement that a new series of protests would be launched.
Meanwhile, Dawn reported that Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar called a meeting of senior officers, and after reviewing the issue, devised a security plan to avoid any untoward incident as TLP had a history of violent protests.
