ISLAMABAD: Despite the court orders, the capital police seem least interested to arrest Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Chairman Khadim Hussain Rizvi who was declared proclaimed offender (PO) in cases of November 2017 Fiazabad sit-in, Pakistan Today has learnt.
On April 3, an Anti-Terrorism Court declared firebrand cleric Khadim as well as three other leaders of his party proclaimed offenders in three cases registered against them at Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station. However, background discussions with the police officials suggested that police seems least interested to peruse the arrest of the cleric as the government fears after his arrest protests would start across the country which could create problem especially, when next general elections are near.
“The legal formalities has been completed and the matter is pending in the court. I believe the matter will be resolve through a dialogue,” said a senior police official, who requested not to quote his name. It is noted that the court had initiated proclamation under Section 87 (proclamation for person absconding) against Rizvi and others after they failed to appear before the court to face the cases lodged against the protesters.
After proclamation, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Najeebur Rehman Bugvi had constituted an eight-member team under the supervision of a deputy superintendent of the police for execution of the warrants. However, the team had returned on April 6 with empty hands and submitted a reply before the court.
Another senior official of the Islamabad administration said that the controversial agreement was one the reason which put the police on back foot. According to the official, the government under the agreement had to quash the FIRs registered against the cleric which has no yet. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Fida Hussain Satti, who is a member of the team who went to Punjab, told Pakistan Today that the team has complied the court orders and submitted its reply.
According to him, the police will continue its legal formalities after court orders and the police has given an advertisement in the paper about his PO and after one month fresh challan will be submitted before the court. “If Imran Khan can appear in PTV’s attack case who was also declared PO in 2015, then Khadim Rizvi will also appear because police has to follow the law,” he added.
When asked him, about the controversial agreement which favoured Rizvi, the official said that he will not comment on it but said that many POs appeared in court after they were given assurance which the (Satti) did not elaborate. On the other hand, the cleric threatened to move Islamabad if government fails to comply with the agreement.
The 21-day-long sit-in by the TLP at the Faizabad Interchange had forced the government to accept its demand to sack Law Minister Zahid Hamid, who, the protesters accused, was responsible for a controversial change in the oath of lawmakers. When contacted, SSP Operations Najeebur Rehman Bugvi confirmed that team went to Punjab and returned after compliance the court orders. “The legal formalities will be completed as the mater is pending in the court,” he said.
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