LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday disposed of a petition challenging the detention of Hafiz Saad Rizvi, the chief of proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), for being infructuous.

Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, heading a division bench, observed that the impugned notification of the detention had expired.

Petitioner’s counsel Burhan Moazzam Malik also conceded that the petition had become infructuous as the notification under challenge stood elapsed and there was no new order for the detention of Rizvi.

The counsel said he would not press the petition and intended to withdraw the same.

Additional Advocate General Akhtar Javed also supported the view of the bench.

At this, the bench disposed of the petition for being infructuous and observed that the petitioner could approach the court again if felt aggrieved by any new order of the government. Rizvi’s paternal uncle Ameer Hussain had filed the petition.

The Supreme Court had suspended the operation of a LHC single bench’s order whereby the detention of Rizvi was annulled and remanded the case for a fresh decision by a division bench.

Previously, the government had withdrawn its reference before a federal review board when it failed to justify the detention of Rizvi despite an order passed by the LHC single bench. The single bench had on Oct 1 set aside the second detention of Rizvi notified by the government under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2021