Plea to extend Rizvi’s detention turned down

A provincial review board turned down the Punjab government’s reference seeking further extension in detention of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Chief Saad Hussain Rizvi.

The review board was headed by Lahore High Court (LHC)’s Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan. LHC Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan were also its members.

The government took the plea that ‘the law and order situation may be created if Rizvi is released’. The government claimed that TLP may hold processions if Rizvi is freed. TLP’s objective will be to launch a comprehensive move to get restored its status through processions and they may force the government to lift the word ‘banned organization’ from TLP through its processions, they pleaded.

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However, Rizvi’s counsel Burhan Moazzam Malik opposed all the points upon which the government wished for further extension in Rizvi’s detention. He argued they are at a loss to understand why Rizvi had been illegally detained when he had not committed any offence. He prayed the provincial review board to turn down the government’s plea to extend further detention of Rizvi.

As the board put the query to the Punjab additional advocate general asked, “Why do you want to keep Rizvi in further detention?”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2021.