The Punjab government has formed 12 joint investigation teams (JITs) to probe several cases registered against the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Lahore and Sheikhupura districts, it emerged on Wednesday.

The teams were notified by the provincial home department in similar notifications, of which 11 are dated November 6 and one was issued on October 31.

According to the notifications, seen by Dawn, the provincial government ordered the formation of five JITs under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 for as many cases registered against the TLP in Sheikhupura district. Of these, four cases have been registered in Muridke tehsil and one in Ferozewala tehsil.

Another seven JITs have been formed to carry out the investigation in as many cases registered in Lahore. Of these cases, three have been registered in the Nawankot area, three in Shahdara Town and one in the Ravi Road area.

For the cases registered in Sheikhupura, each JIT will comprise six members, including a superintendent of police (SP), sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), station house officer (SHO), investigating officer (IO), a representative from the Counter-terrorism Department (CTD) in the rank of deputy superintendent of police (DSP), and any co-opted member.

For the cases lodged in Lahore, each JIT is to have five members, including SP Investigation, DSP Investigation, IO, a representative from CTD in the rank of DSP and any co-opted member.

The notifications further added that the “convener of the JIT shall depute one of the members of the JIT, for the purpose of submission of the report,” as required by Section 19(1) of the ATA 1997.

Crackdown on TLP

In recent weeks, the Punjab government has intensified action against the TLP following a ban imposed on the party after a violent clash between TLP protesters and law enforcement personnel in Muridke last month.

The now-banned group had launched a protest march in support of Gaza and Palestine, planning to reach Islamabad and stage a demonstration outside the US embassy. However, the group’s movement was thwarted as violent clashes erupted, with reports of party workers attacking law enforcement agencies.

Subsequently, the federal government imposed a ban on the party at the request of the Punjab government, concluding that TLP was “involved in terrorism and violent acts”.

Meanwhile, authorities continue to look for TLP Chief Saad Rizvi and his brother Anas Rizvi, whose disappearance has seemingly baffled the Punjab police and other law enforcement agencies.

The TLP chief and his brother were marked as high-profile targets by the Punjab police for being wanted in more than 100 first information reports lodged against them.

On October 29, the duo, including 21 other senior TLP leaders, were placed on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL) to prevent them from travelling abroad.

A senior officer in the Central Police Office (CPO) Lahore told Dawn on Nov 13 that so far, Lahore police have reportedly arrested a total of the group’s 1,250 key members, including their financiers and the workers wanted in over 100 criminal cases.

The official said the provincial capital has been the hub of activities of the TLP’s top leadership and other workers for housing the headquarters of party.

So, the major focus of the police remained on arrests of the hardcore members of the TLP from Lahore.

A list of the targeted TLP members was prepared on the basis of the geofencing carried out in Lahore’s route that they had used to launch the march on Islamabad and in Muridke, where they had encountered the LEAs.

The second list provided to all the 85 police stations of Lahore was of the financiers, the police official said, adding that the crackdowns continued daily.

As per sources, the sufferings of the families of the ‘wanted’ TLP members have increased manifold due to the frequent police raids at their homes.

A majority of the families have locked their houses and gone into hiding to avoid a police crackdown.

On Tuesday, Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari detailed that assets worth Rs23.40 billion belonging to the TLP had been frozen, along with 92 bank accounts linked to the organisation.