ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has removed the names of MPA Masroor Nawaz Jhangvi and 300 others from the Fourth Schedule — the list of terror suspects.
Masroor, after his victory in the PP-78 Jhang-II by-poll in 2016, joined the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) after objections were raised over his affiliation with the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba (renamed Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat).
His name was placed in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 on May 9, 2014.
According to sources in the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), Masroor’s name was removed from the Fourth Schedule three days ago by the Punjab home department.
They added that the names of 300 other people were also removed from the list on the recommendation of a committee responsible for maintaining the list.
Nacta is likely to receive a letter from the home department in this connection on Monday after which the authority will ask the State Bank of Pakistan to order the unfreezing of Masroor and others’ bank accounts.
Jhangvi’s assassinated father, Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, was a fierce anti-Shia cleric who founded a feared Sunni sectarian group, the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.