Daily Times

The authorities were asked by the Lahore High Court (LHC) to submit the record of the evidence that steered to the arrest of Khadim Hussain Rizvi, Chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Labaik (TLP) on Monday.

The bail petition filed by Rizvi and Pir Afzal Qadri was heard by a two-member bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Qasim Khan.

The SP Investigation and the investigation officer related to this case were ordered by the high court to be present in the court in all the hearings related to this case.

The petitioners held the Punjab government and others as a party in their bail plea.

Rizvi was arrested by police on the bases of an “illegal” case, according to his counsel. He further said, “The allegation of incitement to violence against the TLP chief was baseless.”

Justice Qasim questioned the absence of the prosecutor general in the court despite ordering him to appear in front of the court. “The prosecutor general was in Islamabad and that he had transferred the case to the deputy,” said Deputy Prosecutor General Khurrum Khan, who was present in the court.

The judge said that the prosecutor general should have appeared before the court when was directed to do so.

“The TLP leaders had been accused of issuing statements against the Pakistan Army and the judiciary, moreover, the defendant was also accused of delivering fuming speeches against the release of Aasia Bibi,” said the counsel for the petitioner. He refuted all the allegations against the accused.

The judged questioned, “Doesn’t this merit the filing of a treason case, if a clause of the Constitution is violated?”

The counsel for Rizvi also highlighted the sit-in staged by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) itself and that the media had shown it on their platforms. The judge said, “We will make a decision on the basis of what is in the file not on the basis of media reports.”

Rizvi’s counsel further said that the case against the TLP leader Rizvi was lodged on Nov 23, 2018, and he was arrested on Jan 2 under the confinement order.

Justice Qasim Khan remarked that apparently police had arrested Rizvi under confinement orders instead of the case lodged against him. He also reprimanded the police officials over the absence of the investigation officer.

“Police have completed the investigation and the dentition of Rizvi was illogical,” argued the counsel for Rizvi. He further asked the court to issue bail orders for Rizvi as he has been in jail for the last six months.

The court will resume hearing the case on May 2.