LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said on Friday that the provincial government had forwarded the summary for banning the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to the Centre.
“The Punjab cabinet has given its approval for banning the TLP, and this has been forwarded to the Centre. So the legal requirement with regard to the provinces has been fulfilled. The provincial government, after giving its approval, has forwarded the summary to the Centre,” she said at a press conference in Lahore.
Her statement comes a day after the Punjab government decided to ask the Centre to ban the TLP, which had conducted a protest march “in solidarity with Gaza”, pledging to reach Islamabad and protest outside the US embassy.
However, on Monday, the authorities launched a pre-dawn operation in Muridke, where the TLP had set up its protest camp on its way to its planned destination. The move by law enforcement agencies had triggered violent clashes, chaos dozens of arrests, resulting in the protest’s premature end.
There have been reports of authorities going down hard on the TLP since.
At the outset of her press conference today, Bokhari, without naming the TLP, also referred to “a protest called in the name of Gaza”, noting that the demonstration was “illogically” held even after a truce to end the Israeli onslaught in the strip went into effect.
She added that the protest had turned “bloody as always”.
“This is not the first time that this party — or I would rather call it a group — has resorted to such acts. Be it 2017, 2019, 2021 or 2022, there have been repeated attempts to paralyse the lives of people and shut the country down,” Bokhari added, apparently referring to the TLP’s previous protests that had turned violent.
“We saw a continuity of those instances this time as well,” the minister added. “The only difference this time was that the state and government together decided that this could not continue anymore. Pakistan cannot afford this anymore.”
The minister emphasised that everybody needed to think about how attempts were made to create chaos in the name of religion.
She further asserted that when the protesters had taken to the streets recently, multiple attempts were made to “engage them”, rejecting the accusations that the relevant authorities had not tried to resolve the issue through dialogue.
“They were engaged repeatedly, and requests were made to them. They were told that people are celebrating in Gaza,” she said, accusing the protesters of setting vehicles on fire and inflicting violence on policemen. “Were they (police personnel and vehicles) a hurdle in the way of resolving the issue of Gaza?” Bokhari raised the question.
Referring to a protest call for today after Friday prayers, she thanked the trader community, transporters and the public for “rejecting the call”.
Earlier this week, a statement by TLP Balochistan president Wazir Ahmad Rizvi had called on protesters to converge on Lahore’s Data Darbar today. Meanwhile, intelligence reports suggested that TLP activists may engage in violent clashes and widespread chaos after Friday prayer.
Separately, a group named Tanzeemat-i-Ahle Sunnat — which is not linked to the TLP — had also given a protest call for today, demanding a judicial inquiry into the Muridke operation.
Meanwhile, a report said police had planned a crackdown to round up the TLP leadership to scuttle its plans for protests today.
Speaking of the protest call for today, Bokhari had two videos played during the press conference, which she said were from Lahore and Rawalpindi today. In those videos, she said, life could be seen continuing as usual.
“So now, everybody should understand once and for all that they cannot be allowed to paralyse or shut the country down on the pretext of any excuse.”
Bokhari then shared that 1,648 policemen had been injured during last week’s protest, of whom she said 202 personnel were severely injured. “Was it a peaceful protest then?” she questioned.
Before outlining a set of decisions taken by the Punjab government following the protest, she clarified that these measures were not against any “religious party, group or faith”.
“They are against only that extremist group, which has a history of creating a law and order situation in this country. The group that has been involved in inciting people […] and killings.”
Detailing the decisions, she said the Punjab government had forwarded the summary to the federal government for banning the TLP.
It may be mentioned here that the federal government had banned the TLP in April 2021 on the recommendation of the Punjab government under the ATA.
The ban was later revoked in November that year upon the request of the Punjab government, days after a deal was reached with the group to end its violent protest march towards Islamabad.
In a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab government also decided to seek a ban on the party again and move to place the TLP leadership in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed individuals who are suspected of terrorism and/or sectarianism under the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act.
Mentioning other measures taken yesterday, Bokhari said there would be “zero-tolerance” concerning the use of loudspeakers to “spread hatred or incite others”.
Bokhari further said that cases would be registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) for “uploading hateful content on social media, glorifying the protest and presenting it as a national cause”.
“Some arrests have been made [in this connection],” she said, adding that the “information department will also send a request for action under Peca over a post on [incarcerated PTI founder] Imran Khan’s X account that said 400-600 people had died”.
Again making an apparent reference to the TLP, she said, “All social media and bank accounts of the extremist party will be sealed. A lot of work on this has already been done”.
Moreover, she said, there was a complete ban on the display of weapons and from now on, weapons’ licences would not be issued in Punjab.
“Anyone in possession of illegal weapons is requested to submit them [to the relevant authorities] within a month; otherwise, cases would be registered against them under the terrorism law.
“And those in possession of legal weapons will have to get them registered at Khidmat centres, otherwise legal action will also be taken against them,” she elaborated.
Citing figures of cases of attempts to create anarchy, she said 108 such first information reports had been registered in Punjab in 2025 so far. Of those, she added, 71 were registered under the terrorism law.
“This trend shows that in 2025, a plan was hatched to worsen the situation in Punjab,” she alleged. Apparently referring to the PTI, she said that another party had tried to join today’s protest, the call for which was rejected by the people. “This is a slap for the two extremist groups that called the protest,” she said.
Separately, Pakistan Ulema Council chairman Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi also addressed a press conference where he apparently made a reference to the TLP and its protest last week.
Without naming anyone, he said, “The dialogue was underway till the last moment. The talks were very positive […] but unfortunately, there was no implementation, resulting in the loss of policemen, Rangers personnel, security institutions and the common man.”
He stressed the need to put an end to the trend of violence and thanked all religious scholars who had contributed to attempts of “making peace”.
Punjab IG’s warning
Earlier today, Punjab Inspector General (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar had also warned that no individual or group would be allowed to take the law into their hands.
A post on Punjab police’s account on social media platform X quoted IGP Anwar as saying that his department was actively ensuring the safety of people’s lives and properties, supremacy of law and maintenance of peace across the province.
“Punjab police is standing with civil society and the trader community, who have rejected the call for the protest and strike and expressed their resolve for [maintaining] peace and stability,” the statement quoted the police chief as saying.
It said he “strongly condemned violent protests, arson and illegal activities”, warning that no individual or group would be allowed to take the law into their hands. He also warned that “indiscriminate” action would be taken against those violating the law.
The IGP also assured the full implementation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure — a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period — to ensure the safety of private and public properties.
The Punjab government had imposed Section 144 across the province yesterday for two days.
A subsequent post by the police said security was on high alert across the province on the directive of the IGP.
“Punjab police has further tightened foolproof security arrangements in the province, including Lahore. On the directive of Punjab IGP, instructions have been issued to all field officers to remain on high alert and take immediate measures to ensure the protection of the lives and property of the public,” the statement said.
It added that district police officers, special branch personnel and the counter-terrorism department had been directed “to keep a close eye on suspicious activities”.
In another statement posted around noon, police said that the situation was normal in cities across Punjab.
In an earlier post specifically mentioning Multan and Bhakkar, a statement quoted IGP Anwar as saying that “under no circumstances will anybody be allowed to take the law into their hands under the guise of protests or strikes”.
The IGP had issued similar warnings yesterday as well, saying, “We have decided to treat the violators under anti-terrorism and other heinous charges to take them to the court of law for punishment up to 10 and 14 years.”
Later, a police handout said Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran had reviewed security arrangements in different areas of the city while all divisional superintendents, sub-divisional police officers and station house officers were in the field.
The handout quoted the DIG as saying that security had been increased at all commercial and public spots in the city and that police would not let miscreants “destroy the peace of the city at any cost”.
He said “special security duties” had been assigned to police personnel to ensure peace in the city, while anybody who took the law into their hands would be dealt with strictly.
The handout said he instructed that strict legal action should be taken against those creating a law and order situation under the guise of protests.
On Thursday, four cabinet members also said that the crackdown on TLP office-bearers would continue. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry described the TLP as a group of anarchists and arsonists that had no political agenda except to challenge the authority of the state.
“The TLP leadership has been deceiving the nation from the very beginning. We were holding talks with them even before the protest march commenced, but they never stood firm on any commitment,“ Naqvi said.
LHC seeks replies from Punjab govt, police
Earlier today, the Lahore High Court (LHC) sought replies from the Punjab government and police on October 23 on pleas filed by the TLP. The pleas seek return of bodies of the TLP’s workers allegedly killed during the law-enforcement operation in Muridke and medical treatment for those injured.
Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry presided over the hearing during which Advocate Naseem Usman represented the TLP.
The petitions, which were accepted for hearing yesterday, contend that the government carried out an operation against the party’s workers who were staging a peaceful march in Muridke. The party claimed that over 600 of its workers had been killed in the operation, while its chief Saad Rizvi and his younger brother also sustained bullet injuries.
It alleged that both Saad and his brother Anas Rizvi, among others, have been abducted by the law-enforcement agencies.
The party further alleges that the authorities refused to hand over the bodies of the victims to their families. It has asked the court to direct the government and police authorities to return the deceased workers’ bodies and ensure that the injured are provided medical treatment at government hospitals.
The pleas also seek directions for the authorities to produce Saad Rizvi and other detained leaders before the relevant court. The TLP further seeks possession of its headquarters on Lahore’s Multan Road, allegedly taken over by the law-enforcement authorities.
