ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior on Friday notified a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), declaring the religio-political party a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
The notification, issued by the Ministry of Interior, stated that the federal government has "reasonable grounds to believe that Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistanis connected with and concerned in terrorism."
“… In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 11B(1)(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 (XXVII of 1997), the federal government hereby orders TLP to be a proscribed organisation for the purpose of the Act and list the aforesaid organisation in the first schedule to the said Act," read the notification.
The ministry has sent the notification to TLP leadership as well as to all authorities concerned.
The move follows a series of fierce demonstrations by the TLP that erupted earlier this month after police dismantled a protest camp in Muridke, leading to confrontations that resulted in the death of a police station house officer (SHO) and three others, including a passerby.
The recent development comes a day after the federal cabinet greenlighted ban on TLP under ATA following a request from the Punjab government, citing violent protests in the province that left several dead and many injured.
The summary was presented by the interior ministry following a request from the Punjab government. Senior officials from Punjab also attended the meeting via video link.
The meeting was informed that the TLP was previously banned in 2021 by the then government. However, the ban was lifted after six months on the condition that the group would refrain from further violence and public disorder.
The government decided not to file a reference in the Supreme Court regarding the ban on the TLP, sources with the interior ministry told Geo News.
The sources said that a top court decision is not required for imposing a ban under the ATA.
They added that the ban on the religio-political party has been imposed under the ATA, but not Article 17 of the Constitution.
Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah explained that the religio-political party may file an appeal against the ban within 30 days of the notification.
Speaking on Geo News' programme "Naya Pakistan" today, he added: "If the ban is upheld after review, the matter can then be taken to court," the PM's adviser explained.
He said that the organisation damaged public property at several locations during their protests. Any group involved in such activities can be declared proscribed, Sanaullah stated.
"Sufficient evidence was available to justify imposing a ban," he added. This group had earlier given assurances [for not to involved in such activities] which it failed to honour, he recalled.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has said that the top leadership of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has gone into hiding outside the province following the violent protests, assuring that they will be apprehended soon.
Speaking on Geo News' morning programme "Geo Pakistan", Azma said that according to available information, the group's senior leaders are currently outside Punjab and are adept at going underground to evade arrest.
"Law enforcement agencies are actively working on it, and you will soon receive good news," the information minister added.
"I would request that we not refer to this extremist group as a political party. They are not a party, but rather a mindset that we must collectively confront as a society."
She added, "It is neither a political nor a religious party; it has been operating like a project to collect watches and billions of rupees."
Azma said that it has been revealed that those conducting transactions in the name of religion have been earning interest on those payments. The provincial information minister said that whenever the TLP takes to the streets, it engages in "violence and attempts to disrupt law and order".
"They have a track record unlike any other group in this country, acting as a pressure group to dictate terms to the state," she said, and added, "Our leadership is convinced that now is the best time to correct past mistakes."