LAHORE – Saad Hussain Rizvi, the chief of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, has been arrested by Lahore police on Monday, confirmed a party spokesperson.
The police took the son of late Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi into custody from Jamia Masjid Rehmat ul Aalameen on Multan Road, Lahore without giving any reason.
The spokesperson said that Saad, who was picked as new chairman of the TLP followi
ng the demise of his father, had announced a protest on April 20 if their demands related to expulsion of French ambassador over blasphemous caricatures.
Massive protests have erupted in parts of the country against the arrest of the TLP chief, who was elected to the ameer of the party after his father’s demise.
TLP, Govt Agreement
In February this year, the TLP extended its deadline for the expulsion of French ambassador on the issue of blasphemy of Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) till April 20 after it signed a fresh agreement with the government.
The renewal comes days before the previous deadline was set to expire on February 17.
Prime Minister Imran Khan while talking to media said that a government committee held talks with representatives of the religious party leading to the pact.
He said that the TLP had extended the deadline, adding that the government will present the demands of the religious party in the Parliament by April 20 for approval.
The government has agreed to remove the names of TLP leaders from the Fourth Schedule.
In January, TLP newly-appointed chief Maulana Saad Rizvi, son of late Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi had threatened to relaunch protest if the government fails to fulfill its promise of expelling the French ambassador by Feb 17.
Khadim Rizvi died on Nov 19, 2020, two days after his party inked an agreement with the government for ending its protest in Islamabad on the publications of blasphemous caricatures.
The agreement read the government would get a decision taken by the Parliament regarding expulsion of the French envoy within three months and it would not send its ambassador to France and release all the arrested workers of the TLP. The government will not register cases against the TLP leaders or workers.
The last two demands were implemented immediately but rest are subject to the decision of the parliament.
