Punjab invites applications for removal from Fourth Schedule list

LAHORE: Punjab Secretary Home Noor Ul Amin Mengal announced on Wednesday that individuals listed under the Fourth Schedule can now submit applications for the removal of their names.

This move aims to address the grievances of those who have been languishing on the list for years. Mengal emphasized that the government will review the cases of individuals and remove their names if deemed appropriate.

However, he made it clear that those who are innocent will not be added to the Fourth Schedule, nor will individuals involved in terrorist activities be removed.

Sources said many individuals in remote areas of Punjab remain on the Fourth Schedule. A 67-year-old man from South Punjab shared his plight, stating that his name was included due to his past affiliation with a banned outfit in the 1990s, despite leaving the organization. He, now a member of the Tableeghi Jamaat and an Imam in Muzaffargarh, expressed his suffering due to the restrictions under the Fourth Schedule.

The Fourth Schedule, under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, lists individuals suspected of terrorism or sectarianism based on credible intelligence. Such individuals face severe restrictions, including travel bans, speech limitations, business prohibitions, and the seizure of bank accounts and identity documents. Names under the Fourth Schedule list remain for three years and this period can be extended.

An official disclosed that at least 1,400 individuals are currently on the Fourth Schedule in Punjab. Those listed under the Fourth Schedule remain bound to follow restrictions of limitations on movement, residency, entertainment, and asset monitoring.