LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday acquitted 15 workers of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in a case of attacking police teams and ransacking public property during a 2021 protest against France.

The Factory Area police of Sheikhpura had registered the case against the accused persons, including Shahzad Yousaf, Nadeem Shahzad, Naseemullah, Zainul Abidin, Osama Yousaf and Sumair Akram.

Presiding Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar acquitted the accused persons after the prosecution failed to establish its charges against them.

Advocate Saleem Khokhar appeared on behalf of the TLP workers.

The TLP in October 2021 had staged sit-ins across the country, demanding the government should expel the ambassador of France in the wake of publication of blasphemous cartoons there. The protesters had turned violent and attacked the police personnel, taking many of them hostage.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2022