LHC displeased with counsel, adjourns Saad and Anas Rizvi's recovery petition hearing

The Lahore High Court (LHC) adjourned on Monday the hearing on a petition seeking the recovery of missing Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leaders Hafiz Saad Rizvi and his brother Anas Rizvi.

Justice Jawad Zafar presided over the petition filed by Sarwat Fatima to trace the allegedly abducted brothers. The court demanded amendments to the petition and a formal response from the government before postponing the legal proceedings.

'54 criminal cases pending against brothers'

The presiding judge told the petitioner's counsel that the state must submit a formal response once the court updated the case file with the documents it required. During the hearing, the government's counsel presented a compliance report prepared by local police, stating that the two brothers face 54 criminal cases in total.

According to the report, Saad Rizvi is a proclaimed offender in four cases, while Anas Rizvi holds the same status in five other active cases.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) had previously issued public advertisements against both brothers because of their continued absence. However, despite these proclamations, the police report stated that neither brother had been arrested. Authorities maintain that the two men are evading the legal process.

Where are the missing TLP leaders?

The petitioner's counsel argued that unidentified individuals had abducted the two political leaders from an undisclosed location, adding that their family did not know where the brothers were being held. The counsel also expressed concern for their physical safety.

The hearing then turned to the petition's scheduling and documentation. Justice Jawad Zafar expressed displeasure over what he described as inconsistent requests by the petitioner's counsel, noting that the lawyer had previously sought a specific hearing date but had made contradictory statements outside court. The judge asked the counsel to propose a new date for the next hearing.

In response, the petitioner's counsel requested a short adjournment to update the legal paperwork. The court accepted the request and directed the legal team to resubmit the amended petition. After Assistant Advocate General Punjab Farukh Khan Lodhi submitted the initial compliance report, the court adjourned the hearing until tomorrow.