The Punjab government released Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Hafiz Saad Rizvi from jail, the jail authorities confirmed to The Minute Mirror on Thursday.
Sources said that Hafiz Saad Rizvi was set free as a result of a secretive deal between the government led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.
Hundreds and thousands of TLP workers were present outside Kot Lakhpat Jail to welcome their leader.
Workers chanted slogans as they saw their leader and showered rose petals on his vehicle. They further accompanied their leader all the way to the Rehmatulil Aalameen Mosque – the headquarter of TLP – near Yateem khana roundabout on Multan road, Lahore.
His release comes a day before the urs (the first death anniversary) of late Hafiz Khadim Hussain Rizvi on November 19. Proper arrangements have been made for urs celebrations. The clerics and the party leaders of TLP will deliver lectures on the life and struggle of Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi.
The Punjab government withdrew the reference seeking extension in detention of TLP chief Hafiz Saad Rizvi while TLP’s lawyer also withdrew appeal against his detention last week.
Hafiz Saad Rizvi spent seven months in jail as the Punjab government arrested him on April 12, 2021 after the TLP under his command conducted countrywide protests against the PTI government for not cutting diplomatic ties with France over blasphemous caricatures and the stubborn approach of backing these caricatures by French President Emmanuel Macron.
On November 10, the Punjab government removed the name of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Rizvi’s name from the Fourth Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 amid the secretive deal with the organization.
A notification issued by the Punjab Home Department on Nov 10 – a copy of which is available with The Minute Mirror – removed the name of TLP chief Hafiz Muhammad Saad Rizvi from the Fourth Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
“Name of Hafiz Mohammad Saad s/o Khadim Hussain is hereby deleted from the list of Fourth Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, with immediate effect,” read the notification.
The Punjab Home department gave reference of the recommendations of the District Intelligence Committee after which the name of Hafiz Saad Rizvi was put on the Fourth Schedule under the said law besides mentioning the TLP’s deal with the federal government.
The move came after the TLP workers started a long march on October 19, 2021, to Islamabad after the Punjab government refused to release its chief Saad Rizvi despite the clear orders of the Lahore High Court. Prime Minister Imran Khan took notice of the long march and directed the police authorities that no one should be allowed to cross Jhelum.
However, the TLP workers broke all barriers and continued to advance towards Islamabad, resulting in the Punjab government calling in the Rangers to tackle the protesters.
Meanwhile, efforts were put in to soothe the angry TLP leadership and protestors as eminent scholar Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman was brought to bring both sides closer to dialogue. As a result, a steering committee was formed to look into the matter that held its meeting in Lahore while TLP representatives were also present there.
Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat was also present there who 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. He also assured that their bank accounts and assets would be unfrozen.
Under the deal, the Punjab government released 860 out of 2,100 TLP detainees from different jails.
The Punjab government, meanwhile, transferred the entire police high command of Lahore over their failure to control TLP and its workers besides reshuffling of senior police officials across the province.
