TLP calls off Wazirabad sit-in after govt revokes ban

LAHORE: The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Monday called off its Wazirabad sit-in, a day after the federal government revoked a ban on the religious party.

The marchers were stationed in Wazirabad for over two weeks waiting for the release of their leader Saad Rizvi. TLP leader Syed Sarwar Shah announced that the party was ending its sit-in and its workers would go back to Masjid Rahmatulil Alameen.

“Mufti Muneeb ur Rahman had given us the guarantee and told us to go back to Masjid Rahmatulil Alameen when 50 percent of our demands are met,” Sarwar Shah said, addressing participants of the sit-in.

Sarwar Shah continued, “Mufti Muneeb had also guaranteed that Saad Rizvi will attend the Urs [Khadim Hussain Rizvi’s first death anniversary] with us.”

“We will not go to our homes, we will go to Masjid Rahmatulil Alameen,” he said, reiterating that TLP chief Saad Rizvi would be among his supporters on the occasion of his father’s first death anniversary.

TLP no longer proscribed outfit

On Sunday, the government lifted the ban on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) “in the larger national interest” and in line with the “secret agreement” it had signed with the group on October 31.

The notification in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Interior on Sunday, a day before a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to be held in the National Assembly in which the opposition members are expected to raise the matter.

According to the interior ministry, the notification has been issued at Punjab government’s request. On Saturday the media had reported that Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved for his cabinet’s nod by circulation a summary seeking revocation of the ban on the TLP.

“In exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section (I) of Section 11U of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 (as amended), the federal government is pleased to remove the name of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan from the First Schedule of the said Act as proscribed organisation for the purpose of the said Act,” reads the notification.

Meanwhile, in compliance with a secretive deal between the government and the proscribed TLP, the Punjab government had decided to remove the names of at least 90 activists of the proscribed outfit from the fourth schedule.

The meeting also decided to release 100 other activists of the organisation from different jails in the province and reviewed the decisions taken by the steering committee formed to deal with all TLP-related matters.