The Lahore High Court on Friday accepted an application for hearing in which the petitioner has asked for the initiation of treason proceedings against Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi and the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, over charges of issuing anti-state statements and inciting people to violence.
Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, while accepting the petition, filed by Advocate Syed Mohammad on behalf of Shabeerullah, has set the case for hearing on November 12 (Monday).
In his application, the petitioner has argued that Rizvi and Rehman criticised the apex court’s judgement in the Aisa Bibi case, issued anti-state and anti-military statements and incited people to violence and should thus be prosecuted under the law.
Following their statements, the country was held hostage for three days which was tantamount to “making an attempt to suspend the Constitution”, the petitioner has pleaded.
Earlier on Thursday, a sessions court in Lahore had fixed for hearing a petition against police officials for their failure to register a case against Khadim Rizvi, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) head Ashraf Jalali and others for threatening the top judiciary and inciting the armed forces to stage a mutiny in the aftermath of Aasia Bibi’s acquittal.
Filed by citizen Abdullah Malik, the petition stated that the station house officer (SHO) of Civil Lines police station in Lahore had failed to file a first information report (FIR) against the aforementioned individuals.
“The local police is reluctant to take action against the accused [due to] their presence in the ruling class and having direct contacts with the police and others,” the petitioner had said.
A copy of the application to lodge an FIR, dated November 1 and addressed to the Civil Lines SHO, notes that TLP leaders had threatened the judges of the Supreme Court, passed an edict to murder the country’s Constitutional prime minister and incited their party workers to spark riots.
The petitioner has asked the court to pass orders to ensure legal action is taken against TLP leaders as well as police officials if the latter are reluctant to register a criminal case against the former.
Additional Sessions Judge Mohammad Ahmed Khan Kharal accepted the petition today and directed Civil Lines SHO to furnish his report on November 14.
