LAHORE: The provincial cabinet of Punjab has approved a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) following a series of violent protests across the province.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari made the announcement at a press conference in the provincial capital, confirming that a summary recommending the ban has been forwarded to the federal government for final approval. Bokhari stated that while religious parties play a role in Pakistan’s political system, using religion to incite violence is unacceptable. “The recent TLP protest was unjustified and caused widespread chaos,” she said, adding that it was held “in the name of Gaza even though a ceasefire had already been achieved.”
The minister credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for their efforts in securing the Gaza ceasefire and accused the TLP of pursuing personal interests under the guise of religious solidarity. “This protest had nothing to do with Gaza,” she said. “The state cannot allow such violent actions to disrupt national peace and stability.”
She explained that the decision to ban the group was necessary to safeguard public safety. She said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was committed to welfare-oriented governance, citing initiatives such as the distribution of farmer cards and construction of 90,000 houses under social uplift programmes. “Those who challenge the writ of the state cannot be considered patriotic or religious,” she remarked.
Refuting claims that the government refused to engage in dialogue with the group, Bokhari clarified that talks were held but failed due to the TLP’s “self-centered demands.” She noted that despite the party’s calls for renewed protests on Friday, “citizens and traders rejected the appeal, and all markets remained open.”
Praising the public’s support for peace, the provincial minister lauded the people of Punjab for standing firm against extremism. She also disclosed grim statistics from the recent unrest—one police inspector was martyred, over 1,600 policemen were injured, and 97 police vehicles were damaged. “How can such destruction be called a peaceful protest?” she questioned.
The provincial government, she said, has now taken a firm stance to prevent any future violence and ensure the protection of national security.
Meanwhile, police have intensified their ongoing crackdown against religious group across Punjab.
According to Punjab Police, the number of arrests in Lahore has risen to 624, while operations are continuing in various parts of the city.
Police officials said that so far, a total of 5,100 suspects have been arrested across the province in connection with violent protests and related incidents. The crackdown is expected to continue until all those involved are apprehended, officials added.
Around 40 TLP workers have been arrested from various parts of Jaranwala tehsil.
Those taken into custody have been placed under preventive detention, while others were arrested in connection with a case registered on October 13 at Khurrianwala Police Station under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other relevant sections.
The News has obtained exclusive access to the Punjab Home Department’s official recommendation sent to Islamabad — a detailed, classified dossier laying out the legal, security and political grounds for proscribing the party under Section 11B of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The letter, bearing No SO(IS-I)2-1/2025(Proscription) and dated October 17, was addressed to the Ministry of Interior and forwarded through the Inspector General of Police, Punjab. It draws on a comprehensive reference prepared by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), detailing TLP’s trajectory from a radical protest movement to what officials describe as a militant organisation that has repeatedly weaponised religious sentiments, undermined state authority, and fomented sectarian hatred across Pakistan.
