Pakistani Court Jails Banned Islamist Leader for 35 Years Over Call to Kill Former Chief Justice

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced a senior figure from a banned Islamist party to 35 years in prison for inciting violence, more than a year after he publicly called for the killing of the country’s then-chief justice, according to court officials and the defendant’s lawyer.

The convicted cleric, Zaheerul Hassan Shah, was a prominent leader of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, an Islamist group known for mobilizing street protests and for its hardline stance on religious issues. Shah was arrested last year after a video spread widely on social media showing him urging supporters to murder then–Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. In the recording, Shah offered a reward of 10 million rupees, roughly $36,000, to anyone who would behead the top judge.

The remarks sparked outrage across Pakistan and drew condemnation from legal circles, civil society groups and government officials, who warned that such rhetoric posed a direct threat to the rule of law and the safety of state institutions. Authorities moved to detain Shah shortly after the video gained traction online, citing concerns that his statements could incite followers to carry out acts of violence.

The case centered on Isa’s controversial decision last year to grant bail to a man from the Ahmadi community who had been charged in a blasphemy case. The ruling angered hardline religious groups, including Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, which has long campaigned aggressively over blasphemy-related issues and has staged repeated protests demanding harsh punishments.

Ahmadis, whose faith emerged in the 19th century, identify as Muslims but were declared non-Muslims by Pakistan’s parliament in 1974. They have since faced decades of discrimination and persecution. Members of the community are frequently targeted by extremist groups, and their homes and places of worship have been attacked by Sunni militants who regard them as heretical.

Defense lawyer Maqsood-ul-Haq said Shah was convicted on Monday by an anti-terrorism court in the eastern city of Lahore after prosecutors presented evidence that his public statements amounted to incitement to violence and posed a serious threat to public order. Court officials confirmed the sentence, which totals 35 years, reflecting multiple counts under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws.

The ruling comes amid a broader crackdown on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, which the government formally banned less than two months ago following violent clashes between the group’s supporters and police. Those confrontations erupted during a rally held in support of Gaza, when protests turned deadly and security forces struggled to contain unrest in several cities.

Since the clashes, the party’s leader, Saad Rizvi, has disappeared from public view. Police officials say Rizvi fled to Pakistan-administered Kashmir during the turmoil, which began in early October after he led a march toward Islamabad from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Authorities have continued to search for him, though no arrest has been announced.

The sentencing of Shah is being seen by government officials as a signal that open calls for violence against judges and state officials will not be tolerated, particularly at a time when Pakistan’s judiciary has increasingly come under pressure from political and religious groups. Legal analysts say the case underscores the challenges the country faces in balancing freedom of expression with the need to curb extremist rhetoric that can quickly spill into violence.

For now, Shah will remain behind bars as the state presses ahead with efforts to dismantle the organizational structure of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and prevent further unrest linked to militant religious activism.