ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan has removed the leader of one of the country’s largest Islamist extremist groups from its terrorist watchlist while the Election Commission considers whether his group can field candidates in a general election next month, an official said on Thursday.

Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi is head of Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), a radical Sunni group that has incited violence against Pakistan’s minority Shi’ite Muslims.

ASWJ shares roots with the more violent Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militant group based in central Punjab province, which had strong ties to al Qaeda and has waged a deadly campaign against Shi’ites for more than two decades.

Who authorized the removal of Ludhianvi from the terrorist list is unclear, as a caretaker government is running Pakistan during the two months of campaigning ahead of the July 25 general election.