TLP officially banned; federal govt issues notification

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has issued a notification officially imposing a ban on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

The federal government believes that the TLP is involved in terrorism, the notification said, adding that the Interior Ministry has declared the TLP as banned outfit under Section 11B Clause 1A of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The notification said that the government has found evidence of TLP’s links with terrorism. The group’s name has been included in the first schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

A copy of the notification has been sent to governors, chief secretaries and police inspector generals (IGs) of all four provinces as well, along with relevant agencies including NACTA, FIA, ISI and MI. The Interior Ministry has also directed all relevant agencies to take immediate action.

Earlier, the federal cabinet had approved the imposition of the ban on the TLP under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a summary recommending a ban on the TLP.

After a detailed review, the cabinet had approved the move to outlaw the group under Section 11B(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The cabinet had directed the interior ministry to complete the procedural formalities.

The Punjab government had earlier sent a recommendation to the federal government to impose a ban on the TLP led by Saad Rizvi.

Notably, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had also banned TLP in 2021, but the decision was revoked seven months later.

Earlier, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said that a decision to ban the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is expected soon, following a wave of violent protests and property damage across the province.