Indian nexus with TLP de-estabilising Pakistan, warns Punjab govt

ISLAMABAD: The government of Punjab has made shocking revelations in one of its reports that a sensitive agency has obtained some credible information that the banned outfit, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), has had Indian nexus.

The government of Punjab submitted minutes of the district intelligence committee, which read that a bank account maintained by the brother of TLP secretary finance has been identified. This account maintained in a private bank in Lahore showed significant cash influx and foreign remittances in just a matter of two to three months as TLP started protests against the government earlier this year.

"Foreign remittances are being sent in this account as well and one such remittance on July 5, 2021 is from Rajesh Himat Lal and Mukesh Himat Lal (both Indian [nationals]) currently residing in UAE. This indicates the Indian nexus with the proscribed TLP to destabilize Pakistan," revealed the report Punjab government submitted to the apex court. The Punjab government built this argument as part of grounds for an extension in detention of proscribed person TLP chief Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi.

The government of Punjab went to the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Oct 11, 2021, challenging the Lahore High Court’s order declaring the TLP chief's detention illegal. But the SCP remanded this case back to the LHC for a two-member special bench to decide the case.

"A sensitive agency has obtained credible information that a WhatsApp group in the name of Siraat-ul-Mustaqeem having its Admin based in India is being operated in which 117 Indian members have also been identified. Many of the sympathisers of the detenue [TLP chief] are also part of this group. This further establishes the Indian involvement in the promotion of proscribed TLP to have linkages with the enemy state," read the grounds filed before the court.

Further, cellular company accounts are also being used and Hundi channel, revealed the report. "This raises the question that when funding has been stopped, then why transactions of this nature are still being conducted and why is there foreign involvement," read the report.

In the prevailing international scenario where Pakistan is under immense pressure and being accused of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan, the very name of TLP rings alarm bell in the West where it is dubbed as a violent and extremist outfit that wants to exterminate all minorities in the garb of its sloganeering, read the report of the committee represented by representatives of police, Intelligence Bureau, Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Special Branch and Deputy Commissioner Lahore.

"Thus, releasing TLP chief Hafiz Saad Rizvi at this juncture will not only further isolate Pakistan at international level but will also result in hardships for the overseas Pakistanis as well who used to transmit foreign remittances which are the main source of our economy," read the report. As TLP chief and his associates are not ready to budge an inch from their extremist stance, there are chances that hostile intelligence agencies and so-called Islamic militant outfits under their patronage can take advantage and make use of Saad Rizvi’s ideology and rhetoric for their nefarious designs, including weakening the state of Pakistan in the garb of scared cause, stated the report.

It is also revealed in the report that 524 of TLP activists are on the Schedule IV of ATA, 1997 due to their unlawful activities out of which 195 have yet to submit surety bonds, which depicts the level of intransigence and their contemptuous behaviour vis-a-vis the legal order.

The Government of Punjab’s documents submitted before the court also carried a bank statement showing foreign remittances for the brother of TLP finance secretary, contact details of Indians and findings of district intelligence committee. These all annexes have been made part of the petition filed before the apex court.