Punjab on Monday, challenged in the Supreme Court, a Lahore High Court (LHC) order declaring the detention of the chief of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party illegal and directing the provincial government to release him immediately.
Saad Hussain Rizvi, son of the late Khadim Hussain Rizvi, was arrested in April on charges of inciting his followers and party activists to take the law into their own hands after, according to him, the government had reneged on its promise to expel the French ambassador over the publication of blasphemous caricatures.
His detention was scheduled to end on July 10 in light of a decision of the review board of the Supreme Court. However, the office of the deputy commissioner issued a fresh notification extending the detention for another three months under Section 11-EEE (powers to arrest and detain suspected persons) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
On August 2, Rizvi filed another petition with the high court, claiming the government extended his detention with “mala fide intention”. He said it implicated him in 14 criminal cases following his detention.
Through the petition, it has been asked to the court to declare the extension of the detention period illegal and order his release. Two weeks later, on August 17, the court sought replies from the authorities on the request.
Subsequently, on October 1, the court declared the detention of Rizvi illegal. Following the court order, the Lahore deputy commissioner, Umer Sher Chattha, also issued orders for his release.
The orders have yet to be complied with, as Rizvi is still in custody.