Pir Zaheerul Hasan Shah, the naib emir of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), has been arrested in Okara. The arrest follows a case registered against Shah in Lahore, where he is accused of threatening the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The case was lodged at Qila Gujar Singh police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act, with charges including threatening the judiciary, obstructing government business, inciting religious hatred, and inciting violence.
According to the FIR, Shah and approximately 1,500 TLP workers are implicated in spreading hatred against the Supreme Court during a protest outside the press club. The complaint, filed by SHO Hammad Hussain, details Shah’s inflammatory remarks made during the demonstration.
Read More: The first round of talks, the government has agreed to release all detained JI workers
In response to these developments, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif condemned the threats against the Chief Justice and stated that the state will not tolerate such actions. During a press conference with Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal in Islamabad, Asif denounced the baseless propaganda targeting the Chief Justice, asserting that no matter the extent of criticism, the rule of law and justice must prevail.
Asif highlighted that the Chief Justice had been a target since the Faizabad sit-in and that a reference had been filed against him following his legal decision regarding the sit-in. He emphasized that the state would respond forcefully to any illegal actions or threats, stressing that the state would not accept any dictation under the guise of religion or personal interests.
Ahsan Iqbal also spoke out against the issuance of murder fatwas, stating that the foundation of Muslim faith is the finality of Prophethood. He condemned the video released against the Chief Justice as a rebellion against the Constitution, underscoring the judiciary’s crucial role as a pillar of the state.
