Sedition case sought against TLP

A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) to register a sedition case against Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) for allegedly maligning state institutions and inciting the people against the state.

In the plea, senior lawyer Abdullah Malik stated the religious outfit, on its march towards Islamabad, caused damages to private and public property for which it should be held accountable.

The plea urged the high court to direct the government to fulfil its constitutional duties and protect the basic rights of the citizens as enshrined in Articles 4, 5, 9, 14, 15, and 18 of the Constitution.

According to the petition, the Punjab government and the police chief must be asked about the loss of lives during the violent protests and demand compensation from the TLP for the same.

Read No talks with TLP until protests are called off: Fawad

It also urged the LHC to ban coverage of the TLP protests on media.

The petition added that TLP protests were creating difficulties for Pakistanis living in Europe and other parts of the world.

It further said that the due to the road blockades, the lives of people living along GT Road and in the twin cities have come to a standstill. "The essential commodities, such as medicine, foods, health service and other utilities, cannot be transported due to the protests," it added.

The TLP also invoked hatred against the government by its provocative speeches that could lead to a law and order situation which would be difficult to handle, it said, referring to the loss of lives and property during the Faizabad sit-in.

"If a party is involved in such acts [mentioned above], Section 124-A PPC makes it a clear case for sedition," it concluded.

The petition against the TLP came amid clashes between the police and the party as it inched towards Islamabad to demand the expulsion of the French envoy from Pakistan.

The TLP marched towards Islamabad on Oct 21 after talks with the government failed. The Lahore police failed to contain the protests and the violent clashes resulted in the martyrdom of three policemen.

An agreement with the TLP was then reached and the march was halted near Muridke for two days after talks with a government delegation led by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid. However, after the talks failed, the TLP started marching again and the subsequent clashes claimed the lives of four more policemen.

The government, meanwhile, had agreed to all demands of the protesters, including the release of its chief Saad Rizvi, but it said it would not expel the envoy because that would isolate Pakistan globally.

In a bid to stop the TLP, the authorities have also called in Rangers in Punjab for two months. Moreover, barricades have been erected on the bridges of Chenab and Jhelum to stop the protesters.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) vowed that the TLP would not be allowed to breach the law. The TLP was also declared a "militant" group by the information minister.