A sessions court on Saturday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking sedition charges against Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi and others for their tirade against judiciary, armed forces and other state institutions.
Filed by advocate Abdullah Malik, the petition states that the station house officer (SHO) of the Civil Lines police station in Lahore failed to file a first information report (FIR) against Rizvi and his companions after they incited the masses to violence and stage mutiny against the state in the aftermath of the apex court’s acquittal of Asia Bibi in a blasphemy case. During the hearing, the Civil Lines police submitted its report and told the court that an FIR had already been lodged against Rizvi under sections 291, 290, 186, 353, 427 and 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code as well as Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order. At this, the petitioner’s counsel insisted that sedition charges against the TLP leader should also be added to the FIR. Following the conclusion of the arguments, Additional Sessions Judge Rai Mohammad Kharal reserved the verdict. Rizvi is currently in the ‘protective custody’ of Punjab police after being arrested late on Friday.
Published in Daily Times, November 25th 2018.