Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi got released from Kot Lakhpat jail

Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi, chief of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), has been released from Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore today. A massive gathering warmly welcomed him when he reached central secretariat of TLP, Jamia Masjid Rehmatulilalameen, Multan Road, Lahore. Reports of his release came out less than 15 minutes before his arrival to central secretariat but still a large number of people were there to welcome their leader.

WHAT happened WHEN

September 4, 2020: TLP organized first formal rally in Lahore (led by Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi) protesting against french government backed blasphemous caricatures publications and projections. TLP demanded a befitting reply to france by Pakistani government

September 5, 2020: A day after massive rally by TLP, police barged into residence of Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi to arrest him but he was not at his home adjacent to Jamia Masjid RehamtulilAlameen, Mulatn Road, Lahore. During the botched attempt, forces desecrated the mosque as well entering without taking their shoes off.

(TLP continued campaign against france, urging Pakistan government to at least severe diplomatic ties with france and boycotting its products)

November 7, 2020: Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi led Namoos e Risalat SAW rally in Karachi. Addressing to the rally, he announced next rally (scheduled for November 15, 2020) from Liaqat Bagh, Rawalpindi to Faizabad Interchange Islamabad.

November 12, 2020: Ahead of Rawalpindi rally, police once again raided on TLP chief's residence. Before that, many TLP leaders and workers were detained to sabotage the rally.

(A massive crackdown was observed till November 15. Trains and buses to Islamabad were being checked and workers en-route to Islamabad arrested from public transport)

November 15, 2020: A huge number of people made to Liaqat Bagh amid worst tear gas shelling by police and rangers. Massive public joined TLP when rally kicked off for Faizabad Interchange. The rally faced nearly 50K tear gas shells from Liaqat Bagh to Faizabad and during stay there. Rally was transformed to a sit-in after arriving at Faizabad interchange. Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi couldn't make to rally due to fever but his sons were there along the members of central executive committee of TLP.

November 16, 2020: Another botched attempt to disperse people were made at pre-dawn with tear gas shelling and rubber bullets. Allama Khadim Hussain reached in sit-in after Maghrib prayer. He was still having fever of around 102F.

November 17, 2020: On the night falling between November 16 and 17, government signed an agreement with TLP in which government agreed to expel french ambassador in three months after consensus in parliament. Sit-in was called off after reaching at an agreement.

November 19, 2020: Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi left for his eternal life.

November 21, 2020: Funeral prayer of Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi offered in Lahore. It was led by his son Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi who was declared as new TLP chief by central executive committee just before the funeral prayer.

February 11, 2021: Deadline of three months (as agreed in agreement) was approaching but government didn't discuss expulsion of French ambassador in parliament. Government was in negotiations with TLP once again and asked for extension in deadline which TLP extended to April 20 then. This agreement was announced by PM Pakistan on TV channels. Read more about it...

April 12, 2021: Government was forcing TLP to step back from agreement which TLP didn't. Consequently, TLP chief Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi was arrested while he was returning from a funeral prayer. His arrest was notified as a detention later. TLP announced countrywide protest on this move. Protests started in tens of cities disrupting daily business. Read about this in detail...

(Till April 18, government viciously used force on protesters and dispersed/arrested demonstrators in all of the cities and sit-in except central sit-in at Jamia Masjid RehmatulilAlameen Lahore).

April 18, 2021: Police carried out a massive operation (led by CCPO Lahore ghulam mehmood dogar) against central sit-in. LEAs fired bullets on protestors causing many martyrdoms. People from all fields of life championed against this and called for a strike on Monday (next working day). Read about this in detail...

April 19, 2021: After a substantial response from public, government once again signed an agreement with TLP and agreed to table resolution of expulsion of french ambassador expulsion in parliament. On which TLP called off its protest after resolution tabled in legislative institution. Though the agreement included the release of Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi within three days but government requested to call off sit-in first which was fulfilled.

(Nobody was released, rather members of TLP central executive committee were also arrested gradually. See here who was arrested when?)

July 2, 2021: Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi was detained under MPO and government couldn't detain him beyond 90 days legally (completing on July 10, 2021). Government requested this to provincial review board but the request was turned down. Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi appeared before board in-person and a huge number of lawyers warmly welcomed him in Lahore High Court.

July 10, 2021: DC Lahore muddasir riaz ordered to detain Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi under Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA 1997) for 90 days.

(This detention was challenged in LHC by Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi's uncle. See how this case went through judicial process?)

October 01, 2021: Finally, LHC declared Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi detention as null and void and ordered to release him.

October 02, 2021: Federal review board (FRB) extended Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi's detention for one month on government's request.

October 09, 2021: FRB revoked its order and ordered to release Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi. DC Lahore Umer Sher Chattha ordered his release but CCPO Lahore deliberately used delaying tactics to hinder release of TLP chief. TLP workers, who gathered to welcome their leader, were agitated but central executive committee announced to protest against government's attitude on sides of Multan Road without any disruption in traffic.

October 19, 2021: While addressing to final cermony of Eid e Milad un Nabi SAW rally, CEC TLP announced a sit-in at Multan Road with an ultimatum of two days for government to act on agreements (of November 2020, February and April 2021 ) with TLP.

October 21, 2021: After ending of ultimatum, CEC TLP announced a long march towards Islamabad on next day after Jummah prayer.

(See here how this march went and what happened?)

October 31, 2021: Negotiations' committee of TLP and government with guarantors announced that government and TLP has reached on an agreement (though the agreement remained confidential). A steering committee was formed to fulfil on the agreement.

(After which TLP was taken off from proscribed list, its leaders and workers' names were removed from Schedule IV etc.)

November 18, 2021: Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi was released finally.

Remember that

Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi was taken into custody on April 12 this year and remained detained for 220 days (more than seven months). During his imprisonment, his detention was declared null and void by Lahore High Court (LHC), request of extension in detention by government was turned down twice by provincial review board and federal review board but government didn't release him trampling the orders of judiciary.

Now, he got released after an agreement between government and TLP during its long march to Islamabad. A lot of TLP workers embarced martyrdom due to vicious use of force by government during its botched attempts to thawrt the long march.

Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan