Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet officially sanctioned the Punjab government’s move to outlaw the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The decision, made in response to the TLP’s recent violent protests resulting in 16 fatalities, including police officers, was discussed during a cabinet meeting overseen by the prime minister.
In a briefing by the interior ministry, highlighting the TLP’s violent and terrorist activities since 2017, the cabinet unanimously agreed to the ban. The TLP, established in 2016, has a history of inciting unrest and violence across the country, leading to the current prohibition.
Previously banned in 2021 with a subsequent lift under conditions of non-violence, the TLP’s recurrent breach of these terms prompted the renewed ban. The organization will now be listed among proscribed groups monitored by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), joining other militant organizations such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The federal government is required to seek endorsement from the Supreme Court within 15 days of the decision for official inclusion in the proscribed list. The Punjab government’s initial decision to ban the TLP was made on October 16, following the party’s “Gaza solidarity” march aimed at protesting outside the US Embassy in Islamabad.