Court releases 36 TLP activists in terrorism case

A local court has released 36 activists of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in a case related to vandalizing public properties during a protest, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar announced the judgement on Tuesday.

The court declared that the prosecution failed to prove allegations against the TLP members.

The TLP activists were accused of vandalizing and torching the public property during their protest.

A case was registered against them in the Shahdara police station in 2021.

Lawyer Mohsin Raza and Isri Chaudhry advocate presented arguments on behalf of the accused. 

Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to hold talks with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.

Informed sources said that the prime minister has directed the interior minister to listen to the legitimate demands of the TLP.

A committee led by the interior minister would hold talks with the TLP on the issue of latter’s agitation movement in Punjab.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had banned the TLP when the former was in power. A notification in this regard was issued on April 15 wherein it was said the TLP was banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.

The PTI government had decided to ban the TLP after countrywide protests by the religious party. Clashes between the police and TLP workers were reported during those protests.

In its application to the interior secretary, the TLP had said it was a political party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan, and not a terrorist group.

 

Reporter Jamaluddin Jamali