The Faizabad probe commission has concluded its investigation into the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) sit-in at the Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad in 2017, as directed by the Supreme Court.
The commission, led by Akhtar Ali Shah, has delivered its comprehensive report to the Cabinet Division. It incorporates testimonies from 28 notable figures, including retired army generals and government officials.
Additionally, the commission’s findings integrate analyses from various agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the police, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
The report elucidates that the chief executive primarily executed the decisions during the TLP’s sit-in upon requests from the provincial government. Based on the investigation’s outcomes, it further proposes actions against several individuals.
This report is slated for federal government submission to the Supreme Court.
The Faizabad sit-in, which commenced on November 8, 2017, was a demonstration by the TLP against modifications in the Election Bill 2017, particularly the change from “oath” to “declaration,” calling for the resignation of then Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid to safeguard national identity. This led to Zahid Hamid’s resignation following the Supreme Court’s suo motu notice on November 21, 2017.
A subsequent verdict on February 6, 2019, by a division bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa critically addressed the intelligence agencies’ involvement. Upon his appointment as Chief Justice of Pakistan in September 2023, Justice Isa revisited the petitions against the 2019 verdict, leading to the disapproval of the government’s initial investigative committee and the formation of the current commission to identify the sit-in’s orchestrators.
