ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday approved a ban on the religiopolitical party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan under the anti-terrorism act (ATA) following violent protests earlier this month.
The decision was taken in a meeting of the federal cabinet that deliberated on a recommendation by the Punjab government to ban the party.
A press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after the meeting said the ban was “unaimously” approved by the federal cabinet.
It added that the interior ministry presented the summary to the federal cabinet on the Punjab government’s request and a briefing was provided on the “violent and terrorist activities of TLP in the country”.
“The meeting was informed that this organisation, established since 2016, has incited violence across the country. Due to the organisation, incidents of violence have occurred in different parts of the country,” it added.
It pointed out that the TLP was banned in 2021 as well, which was lifted after 6 months on the condition that unrest and violent activities would not be carried out by the party in the future, adding that a reason for the current ban on the organisation was also the reneging on the guarantees given in 2021.
“In the past, security personnel and innocent bystanders have been killed in violent protests and rallies by the TLP. The federal cabinet, after a briefing given to the meeting and the recommendation of the Punjab government, unanimously concluded that the TLP is involved in terrorism and violent acts,” the press release concluded.
Speaking more about the banon Geo News show ‘Capital Talk’, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said the purpose of a ban was not to eliminate any party but to purge it of any of its anti-state and terrorist activities.
He said no one had any issue with the TLP’s religious views. But, he said that whenever the TLP began protests in the past, it led to violence and loss of life, such as the 2017 Faizabad demonstrations.
Sanaullah said a ban was placed on the party in 2021 under the ATA, which was later revoked subject to an undertaking of not repeating any violent activities.
Pointing to the recent loss of life in protests by the party, Sanaullah said: “There is a ban on this aspect of violence of theirs.
