ISAMABAD: Several detained leaders of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan were granted bail in Lahore today by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in several cases registered against them.
Maulana Farooqul Hassan, Ghulam Ghaus Baghdadi, Pir Zahirul Hassan, Maulana Sharifuddin, Engineer Hafeezullah Alvi, Maulana Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Badar Munir, Qari Ashraf, Mohammad Akbar, Muzaffar Hussain, Mohammad Umar and Muzammil Hussain are among those who were given bail in the wake of government-TLP agreement to end long-march, etc.
However, the court directed all the TLP leaders to submit Rs 100,000 each bail bonds for their release from prison.
On Saturday, ATC by Judge Ijaz Ahmed Butter and Judge Hussain Bhutta conducted hearings of bail applications.
Special Prosecutor Abdul Rauf Watoo opposed bail applications. The TLP leaders were represented by different lawyers.
Cases were registered against the TLP leaders at different police stations in Lahore under sections related to terrorism, following the latest round of violence in the provincial capital last month in which at least three policemen were killed and several others injured. The court granted them bail in all of those cases.
TLP, police clashes
The TLP had launched the latest round of protests in Lahore on Oct 20, primarily to exert pressure on the Punjab government for the release of its chief, Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi, the son of its late founder Khadim Rizvi. The younger Rizvi has been kept in detention by the Punjab government since April 12 for “maintenance of public order”.
However, TLP leader Pir Ajmal Qadri had later said the purpose of the move was “respect for the Holy Prophet (PBUH)”, while also demanding Rizvi’s release.
After three days of clashes with the police in Lahore, the TLP started a long march to Islamabad on Oct 22. Five police officials were martyred and scores of others from both sides received injuries in clashes in Lahore and Gujranwala as the marchers moved on the Grand Trunk Road.
The TLP leadership on Oct 30 asked the protesters to wait at Wazirabad for further instructions when the government and the group started negotiations.
On Oct 31, members of the negotiating team from the government side claimed that they had reached an ‘agreement‘ with the proscribed group but refused to divulge its details.
