LAHORE: Pakistan removed Islamist leader Saad Rizvi from its terrorism watchlist on Thursday, paving the way for his release from detention under a deal to end weeks of deadly protests by his followers over an alleged blasphemy.
The move came a week after the government agreed to free 2,000 detained members of his Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) movement, lifted a ban on the group and agreed to let it contest elections.
In return, the TLP has agreed to shun the politics of violence and withdraw a demand to have France's ambassador expelled over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by a French magazine, negotiators have said.
The TLP took to the streets in mid-October, kicking off weeks of protests and clashes that killed at least seven policemen, injured scores on both sides and blocked the country's busiest highway.
At the height of the violence, Prime Minister Imran Khan's government banned the TLP, designated it a terrorist group and arrested Rizvi.
A government notification seen by Reuters said the TLP chief Saad Rizvi's name was "hereby deleted" from the terrorism watchlist after authorities lifted the ban.
It did not go into further details and the government and the interior ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But legal experts said a removal from the watchlist would be a legal prerequisite for any release.
The TLP, which can mobilize thousands of supporters, was born in 2015 out of a protest campaign to seek the release of a police guard who assassinated a provincial governor in 2011 over his calls to reform blasphemy legislation.
It entered politics in 2017 and surprised the political elite by securing more than 2 million votes in the 2018 election.
The next national election is scheduled for 2023, and analysts expect political groups to start gearing up from early next year.
Pakistan takes Tehreek-e-Labbaik leader off terrorism list under deal to end protests
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Pakistan takes Tehreek-e-Labbaik leader off terrorism list under deal to end protests
- Experts say a removal from the watchlist can be a legal prerequisite for Saad Rizvi's release from prison
- The TLP was born in 2015 out of a protest campaign to seek the release of a police guard who assassinated a provincial governor in 2011
Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
- Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50 percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60 percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.
The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.
“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan.
Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.
Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.
