Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan chief Saad Hussain Rizvi arrested in Lahore

NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Police on Monday (April 12) arrested Saad Hussain Rizvi, the chief of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan from Lahore after he threatened the government with protests if it did not expel France's ambassador over depictions of Prophet Muhammad. According to reports, Rizvi was arrested when he was returning after attending the funeral prayers of Pakistan's leading political and business leader Rana Akhtar.

Saad Rizvi was arrested in the eastern city of Lahore to 'maintain law and order', said Ghulam Mohammad Dogar, chief of Lahore police.

Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan has reportedly begun preparations to launch a countrywide protest against the arrest of its chief Saad Hussain Rizvi by the police. Rizvi called on the government to honour what he said was a commitment it made in February to his party to expel the French envoy before April 20 over the publication in France of depictions of the Prophet. The government has said it only committed to discuss the matter in Parliament.

Dogar provided no further details about the arrest, which quickly drew condemnation from Rizvi's supporters. They had begun gathering near the party's main office for a protest, raising fears for violence. On Monday, they blocked some roads in Lahore, prompting the government to deploy additional police.

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Rizvi emerged as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party in November after the sudden death of his father, Khadim Hussein Rizvi. Rizvi's supporters have previously held violent rallies in Pakistan to pressure the government not to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy laws.

(With PTI inputs)