The Lahore High Court has granted post-arrest bail to ultra-right Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi and patron-in-chief Pir Afzal Qadri. They had been arrested last year after their supporters shut down cities and threatened judges following the blasphemy acquittal of Aasia Bibi who left for Canada last week to join her family after having lived at an undisclosed location in Pakistan since her acquittal.
The TLP rank and file had rallied against her being allowed to leave and called for her to be killed. In particular, the TLP leaders had threatened the Supreme Court judges who acquitted Aasia Bibi, urged their cooks and servants to kill them, and called for the overthrow of the army chief.
The TLP, whose main focus has been the defence of the controversial blasphemy laws, was founded out of a movement supporting the bodyguard who assassinated then Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer in 2011 for saying the state would not allow an innocent Christian woman to be executed on a false charge of blasphemy.
Rizvi and Qadri were charged with inciting terrorism and sedition. The November arrests had led to clashes between police and TLP supporters in Lahore. Authorities had then said the violence was instigated by the TLP leader by calling on the faithful to take to the streets if he was arrested.
A division bench hearing the petitions observed that Khadim Rizvi was admittedly infirm and incapacitated. It noted that the prosecution had not refuted a medical report to the effect. The prayer for release was granted and the bail set at Rs 500,000.
Afzal Qadri, the bench observed, had been suffering from heart disease and had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and a CRT-D implant and was using a pacemaker. He was granted interim bail until July 15 to get medical treatment in an institute of his preference. The bail was set at Rs 500,000. His petition for bail on merit shall remain pending. The court abstained from passing judgment on a document his counsel said showed his remorse.
A key factor appears to have been the prosecution’s unwillingness to contest the bail in earnest. It is tempting to speculate that the, government which would rather have the TLP on its side, had been forced to make the arrests by the necessity of putting a lid on the chaos but had never really wanted to break it. With Bibi safely out of the way and a hot summer Ramazan damper on street agitation available, the time was considered right to let the firebrands go and hope for their gratitude coming in handy come local elections. It is tempting also to ask what such considerations will do for the writ of the state. Keep your fingers crossed. *