Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Fawad Chaudhry said treason and terror-related case has been registered against Khadim Hussain Rizvi at Civil Line Police Station in Lahore.

“Hafiz Farooqul Hassan and Pir Afzal Qadri have also been charged with treason and terrorism offences,” he added.

He said a grand operation was launched against miscreants who resorted to violence in the name of protest. Several vehicles were torched on motorway and public property was damaged during TLP’s protest, he added.

Tehreek-e-Labaik’s politics was against law, the Information Minister said.

Authorities took Rizvi into custody in Lahore last week as part of a larger government crackdown on the group’s leaders and members across the country, particularly in Punjab province, where the group has large followers. Hundreds of others associated with TLP were also detained.

Fawad Chaudhry informed journalists that a total of 2,899 people were taken into protective custody from across Punjab while 139 persons from Sindh and 126 from Islamabad were also taken into custody.

The action was taken ahead of Rizvi’s call to TLP supporters to observe martyrs’ day on November 25. He had asked party members to gather at Faizabad in the federal capital.