The government has removed the name of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Hussain Rizvi's name from the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act, it was reported on Thursday.

The Punjab Home Department has issued a notification to this effect. Saad Rizvi’s name was placed in the Fourth Schedule on April 16, 2021.

“Now therefore, name of Hafiz Muhammad Saad s/o Khadim Hussain is, hereby, deleted from the list of 4th Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 with immediate effect,” the notification read.

TLP removed from list of proscribed group

Earlier, the federal government removed the name of TLP from the list of proscribed organisations on the recommendation of the Punjab provincial government. The Ministry of Interior issued the notification after the approval of the federal cabinet.

Punjab government is said to have recommended to the Interior Ministry to remove the TLP from the list of proscribed organizations and stated that provincial government has implemented the points of agreement and released 2,100 TLP workers and removed the name of its over 500 workers from the fourth schedule.

Notification issued: TLP's proscribed status revoked

The notification issued by the Ministry of Interior said that TLP was placed in the first Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 as a proscribed organization for the purpose of the said Act.

On the recommendations of the Home Department, Punjab, whereas, the provincial cabinet has considered the request of the organization in view of the assurance and commitment by the organization and is of the opinion that TLP would abide by the Constitution and laws of the country.

Earlier, Fawad Chaudhry had said that the TLP will not be seen as a political party. The cabinet decided to treat TLP as a militant organisation, adding that no one could challenge the writ of the state.

His statement came after more than five police officials were martyred while several suffered injuries when TLP workers clashed with the police near Muridke and Sadhuke.

The fierce clashes broke out after the TLP tried to resume its march on Islamabad to pressurise the government to accept its demands.

Inspector General of Punjab Police Rao Sardar said the charged mob of the proscribed organisation martyred four police officials and injured 263 others.

He claimed that the TLP activists were armed with automatic weapons and shot straight at the police. The IGP added that the use of arms against the law-enforcement agencies by the banned outfit is a matter of serious concern.

The backdrop

Following the April clashes in which TLP activists blocked highways, railways, and access routes to cities and battled police, the authorities arrested their leader, Saad Hussain Rizvi, and banned the TLP.

Authorities had been trying to negotiate with the TLP, which rallied its supporters outside its Lahore headquarters, but negotiations broke down and the TLP called on supporters from around Pakistan to converge on the capital Islamabad.

The main arteries to and from Lahore and Islamabad were blocked with shipping containers to prevent demonstrators from entering the city. The diplomatic enclave in Islamabad, where most foreign embassies are located, was also blocked off.

This article was first published in Business Recorder on Nov 11, 2021