61 seminaries run by radical Islamist party TLP sealed in Pakistan’s Punjab

Lahore, Oct 20 (PTI) Pakistan’s Punjab government has sealed all 61 seminaries run by the radical Islamist party --- Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) --- in the province following a massive crackdown.

At least 16 people, including policemen, were killed and over 1,600 injured in clashes between the police and supporters of TLP at Muridke, about 60 kilometres from Lahore, last week.

Punjab Police on Monday claimed to have arrested over 6,000 TLP party activists so far following last week’s violent clashes over the issue of holding anti-Israel demonstration outside the US Embassy in Islamabad.

The TLP claimed that dozens of its supporters were killed while thousands injured as police opened fire on the “unarmed” protesters who wanted to express their solidarity with the people of Palestine.

“The Punjab government has sealed all 61 TLP seminaries across the province. These seminaries have been placed temporarily under the administrative control of the Punjab Auqaf Department,” a Punjab government official told PTI.

The crackdown on the TLP has also provided an indirect relief to the minority Ahmadi community which has long been its “soft target”. The TLP activists had been involved in attacks on Ahmadis besides demolishing their worship places.

Meanwhile, TLP chief Saad Rizvi, who managed to escape during the police action, is reportedly hiding in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

Punjab Police said they have shared this information with the PoK authorities and sought their help to arrest the TLP head.

Following the crackdown, several police teams have been tasked with tracking down the TLP chief and his brother, Anas Rizvi. PTI MZ GSP GSP