ATC awards 20-day remand of Khadim Rizvi, others

TLP leaders face probe for launching protests over SC verdict

LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court on Wednesday awarded 20-day physical remand of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)’s top leadership including Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi for further investigation in alleged sedition, terrorism charges and launching violent protests over the acquittal of Aasia Bibi of blasphemy charges.

Civil Lines police also produced the suspects Pir Afzal Qadri, Pir Ijaz Ashrafi and Maulana Farooqul Hassan before the ATC court amid tight security as heavy contingents of police cordoned off the court’s premises.

The Investigation Officer (IO) of the case requested for a 60-day physical remand for further investigation. However, the judge turning down the plea of 60 days physical remand granted a 20-day remand.

The IO implored the court the physical remand of the suspects was required for further interrogation, photogrammetric test, voice matching and recovery of sound system and funding amount.



The IO stated that suspect Hassan was implicated in the case on the statement of co-suspect Waheed Noor, who was already on physical remand. He said Hassan had also joined Rizvi and Pir Qadri in their offences. The IO sought 60-day physical remand of the suspects.

The defence counsel opposed the remand and also asked the court to order medical examination of the suspects as they were under severe ailment. He said Rizvi and Pir Qadri were suffering from diarrhea.

The ATC judge Sajjad Ahmad, granting 20-day physical remand of the suspects to the police, directed the IO to get the suspects medically examined from the relevant hospital. The judge ordered the police to produce the suspects again on Jan 22 after completing investigation.



It is pertinent to mention the government had taken the accused into protective custody on November 23 from Lahore. After that the Home Department was requested they are nominated in a case and their custody is required to carry out investigations after which the department putting an end to the detention of the accused handed them over to the police.

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary had informed in a press conference a total of 2,899 people were taken into protective custody from across Punjab while 139 persons from Sindh and 126 from Islamabad were also taken into custody during the crackdown.