LHC dismisses plea seeking formation of JIT over TLP chief's arrest

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday dismissed a petition, with a cost of Rs2,00,000, that sought the formation of a joint investigation team against the arrest of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Hafiz Saad Rizvi.

The petitioner, advocate Imran Javed Qureshi, representing a law firm Legal Awareness and Protection Center (LAPC), had prayed to the court that a JIT be formed against the "arrest in broad daylight."

The complainant had sought an answer as to why police made video clips of the arrest, with the same going viral on social media. Why, he asked, the followers of TLP were incited through such clips, causing them to block the roads. The blockages perturbed the commoners, he maintained.

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Chief Justice Qasim Khan asked the petitioner’s counsel as to “what Islam says about road blockade”, referring to the trouble faced by the common man.

The judge further asked who was responsible for those who lost their lives in ambulances that were stuck in traffic [due to the protests]."

At this, the law officer implored that no one was inquiring about the officials martyred and hundreds of other personnel who were injured in the clashes.

Judge Qasim said, “under which law did you file this petition and over what grounds are you asking for the formation of a JIT."

“Why shouldn't your petition be dismissed with cost”, he added.

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Protests erupted in multiple cities on Monday after authorities detained Saad Hussain Rizvi in Lahore.

Saad Rizvi is the son of the firebrand cleric, and previous head of the TLP, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who died in November last year.

The arrest came a day after TLP's central council warned the government that if did not expel the French ambassador from the country, they would march towards Islamabad on April 20.