The Federal Cabinet has on Tuesday (today) decided to keep the ban on proscribed organization Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), according to sources.
According to sources, the decision about the TLP ban was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Cabinet approved a report presented to it on the banned outfit by the committee tasked to review the decision to blacklist the organisation.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said the government and Opposition were on the same page on several points related to the electoral reforms.
“We aim to make the elections transparent, and through the electronic voting machines, we will be able to achieve our goal,” the information minister said.
Punjab Home Department’s Plea To Extend TLP Chief Detention, Rejected
A review board of the Lahore High Court had rejected a request by the Punjab Home Department to extend the detention of banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, paving the way for his release.
The decision was announced by the Provincial Review Board comprising Justice Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan, Justice Alia Neelam and Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan of the Lahore High Court during a closed-door hearing where the Punjab Home Department’s request for extension in detention of the TLP chief was heard.
Saad Hussain Rizvi was arrested on April 12 on charges of inciting his supporters to take the law into his own hands because he said the government had reneged on its promise to expel the French ambassador.
Government Banned TLP After Violent Clashes Across Pakistan
Four police officers were martyred and over 600 were injured in clashes all over Pakistan last week.
The government said it had arrested Saad Rizvi as talks between both sides broke down after it emerged the religiopolitical party was planning on marching to Islamabad to hold a sit-in protest.
The TLP had demanded the expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan over French President Emmanuel Macron’s support for blasphemous sketches of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
The interior ministry then moved to ban the TLP under the anti-terrorism law last week.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had said the decision was taken at the Punjab government’s request.
