ISLAMABAD — Federal cabinet has officially banned the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) following weeks of violent demonstrations and alarming security breaches across Punjab.
The ban comes after a detailed report from the provincial government, led by Minister Dr. Yasmin Bokhari, revealed shocking evidence of TLP’s extremist activities, including weapons stockpiling, attacks on police, and vandalism of Safe City surveillance cameras. During a recent protest march, party activists even snatched firearms, tear gas, and riot-control gear from authorities, plunging cities into chaos.
Authorities also uncovered an extensive trail of TLP’s financial and material resources. At the residence of party leader Saad Rizvi, officials seized gold, silver, luxury watches, and properties under anonymous names. To prevent radicalization, mosques and seminaries linked to the group have been placed under government control, and 95 bank accounts associated with Rizvi have been frozen. Dr. Bokhari stressed that the measures target extremist ideology, not religious practice.
The ban follows the TLP’s October 11–13 protest march, which attempted to reach Islamabad and stage a demonstration outside the US embassy. Law enforcement dismantled the Muridke protest camp after violent clashes, while Rizvi and his brother reportedly fled to Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The unrest caused widespread disruption—roads were blocked, businesses closed, and clashes with police escalated into chaos.
Beyond targeting TLP, authorities have introduced province-wide security measures, including halting new weapons licenses, repatriating undocumented Afghan residents, and prosecuting strike threats under anti-terrorism laws to combat the culture of coercion and violence.
This decisive action signals the government’s zero-tolerance stance against extremist movements, sending a strong message about maintaining law, order, and public safety.
