After the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) started protest operations on Eid Milad un Nabi on Tuesday (19 October) by conducting a major sit-in on Multan Road near its headquarters at Masjid Rehmatul-lil-Aalemeen, the city police were put on high alert on Wednesday (20 October.
Hundreds of TLP activists and employees took part in the sit-in to put pressure on the Punjab government to free Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi, the son of the party’s late founder Khadim Rizvi.
The Punjab government has been holding Rizvi since April 12 for “maintenance of public order (MPO).” He was held for three months before being detained again on July 10 under the Anti-Terrorist Act. On October 23, a federal review board will hear the government’s case against him.
A division bench of the LHC has yet to be formed to hear the government’s appeal against a single bench ruling that overturned the TLP leader’s arrest. The Supreme Court had halted the single bench’s order on October 12 and referred the case to a division bench for a new decision.
Earlier, on the 12th of Rabiul Awwal (Tuesday), the TLP held a large protest in which its senior officials delivered fiery speeches condemning the government of using delaying tactics in the release of Saad Rizvi.
Syed Afzaal Hussain Shah, a member of the TLP’s Majalis-i-Shura (central executive), addressed the crowd and announced the start of a fresh round of protests. Hundreds of TLP employees then gathered outside the company’s offices in groups and staged a sit-in on both sides of the busy Multan Road.
Mr. Afzaal assured the arrested activists that the plan for the new agitation would be revealed at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
To avoid inconveniencing commuters, police redirected traffic to alternate routes. The police officer in charge of the incident stated that they were awaiting directions from the Home Department on how to deal with the demonstrators.
Meanwhile, after being alerted to the situation, CCPO Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar convened a meeting of senior officers and, after reviewing the situation, devised a security plan to avoid any untoward incidents, as the banned outfit had a history of violent protests, including attacks on police.
The meeting was attended by Lahore Operations DIG Sohail Chaudhry, senior superintendents (SSPs), and superintendents of police (SPs) from both the investigation and operation wings, as well as other authorities.
On Monday, the CCPO issued instructions to the police to remain on high alert and that no one would be permitted to disturb the city’s quiet, according to a Lahore police spokesperson. He stated that the Lahore police would safeguard the civilians’ safety and security at all costs.
The CCPO also assessed the performance of all Lahore police units, directing officials to continue holding open courts in various parts of the city on a regular basis to hear citizens’ complaints.
He ordered them to improve the role of the peace committees at various levels by increasing the representation of all sects and religions to make them more effective for maintenance of peace and reforming society.
