LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking the formation of a joint investigation team to probe the arrest of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Rizvi and imposed a fine of Rs2,00,000 on the petitioner.
The petitioner, Imran Javed Qureshi, had prayed to the court that a JIT be formed against the “arrest in broad daylight”.
Police had arrested Rizvi on Monday, a day after he threatened the government with protests if it did not expel France’s ambassador over blasphemous caricatures of Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).
At the time, Lahore police chief Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said that he was arrested to “maintain law and order”. But Rizvi’s detention quickly drew protests in cities around the country by extremists, who blocked highways and roads in several cities.
The complainant had sought an answer as to why police made video clips of the arrest, with the same going viral on social media. Why, he asked, the followers of TLP were “incited” through such clips, “causing” them to block the roads.
The blockages perturbed the commoners, he maintained.
LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan asked the petitioner’s counsel as to “what Islam says about road blockade”, referring to the trouble faced by the people.
The judge further asked who was responsible for those “who lost their lives in ambulances that were stuck in traffic [due to the protests]”. At this, the law officer implored that no one was inquiring about the officials killed and hundreds of other personnel who were injured in the clashes.
Judge Khan further said: “Under which law did you file this petition and over what grounds are you asking for the formation of a JIT.” “Why shouldn’t your petition be dismissed with cost,” he added.
