TLP’s Saad Rizvi, 487 others no longer on Fourth Schedule

LAHORE: At least 487 members of Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and its chief Saad Rizvi have been removed from the Fourth Schedule list of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 by the Punjab Home Department, The News has learnt.

A notification was issued by the Punjab Home Department on Wednesday, removing Saad Rizvi’s name, which was added to the list on April 16 with immediate effect. Also, the federal government removed the name of the Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan from 1st Schedule of the Act ibid as a proscribed organisation under Sub Section (I) of Section 11U of Act ibid, read the notification.

Now, the assets of fourth schedulers would be unfrozen and their national identity cards and bank accounts would be unblocked. Their names would be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) by the interior ministry, added the sources.

A Home Department official said the decision had been taken after an agreement was reached between the federal government and the banned TLP. According to the notification, available with The News, "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 Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan from the First Schedule of the said Act as a proscribed organisation for the purposes of the said Act".