TLP chief Saad Rizvi's name no more in Fourth Schedule

LAHORE: Punjab government Wednesday announced  to have removed  Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Rizvi's name from the Fourth Schedule, under a clandestine agreement signed between the government and the group last month.

The official notification, issued by Punjab Home Department, said that the names of Rizvi, along with 487 other TLP members,  are being removed from the list of names under the 4th Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 with immediate effect.

Rizvi's name had been placed in the list on April 16, 2021 following his arrest that incited nationwide protests by the group.

'Release not possible'

However, releasing the TLP chief was not possible  at the moment since he was behind bars on the Federal Review Board's directives, sources  within the Punjab Home Department said.

Sources said that Saad Rizvi's release would be possible after a hearing of the Federal Review Board, to be conducted by Justice  Maqbool Baqir, who is the head of the three-member bench.

The TLP chief is nominated as accused in over 90 cases, they added.

Govt de-proscribes TLP

Earlier, the government notified the de-proscription of TLP after approving Ministry of Interior's  summary asking the group's removal from the First Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

TLP was placed in the said schedule in April 2021 on the recommendation of the Punjab home department.

"The provincial cabinet has considered the request of the organisation and in view of the assurance and commitment by the organisation, is of the opinion that the said organisation shall abide by the Constitution and laws of the country and therefore, keeping in view the larger national interest and long term perspective to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future, the government of Punjab has proposed to the federal government to consider revoking of the proscription of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan," read an Interior Ministry notification.

The notice stated that "in exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 11U of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 (as amended), the federal government is pleased to remove the name of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan from the First Schedule of the said Act as a proscribed organisation for the purposes of the said Act".

Prior to this, the TLP had announced to end its Waziriabad sit-in following 50% implementation of the agreement reached with the government.

Addressing the workers, TLP Majlis-e-Shura Pir Sarwar Shah had asked the protesters to return to Jama Masjid Rehmat Ullil Aalmeen.

He had said that TLP has ended its sit-in as the government had implemented 50% clauses of the pact signed earlier this month. “TLP will stick to the pact, and demanded its timely implementation,” he had said.