Pakistan frees hardline Islamist under a deal to end violence

Supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan(TLP) party take part in a protest. Credit: AFP Photo

Pakistan on Thursday freed a hardline Islamist leader a week after removing his name from the terrorism watch list, under a deal to end weeks of deadly protests by his followers over an alleged anti-blasphemy campaign, government officials and his lawyer said.

Saad Hussain Rizvi, the chief of a Sunni militant group - Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) - was released from a jail in Lahore city, a government spokesman Hasaan Khawar told Reuters.

"By the grace of God, he is a free man now," said his lawyer Muhammad Rizwan.

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