Punjab cabinet approves TLP ban, sends summary to Center for action

The Punjab cabinet approved the imposition of a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and forwarded a summary to the federal government for further action. This was announced by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari while speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Friday.

She revealed that the Punjab cabinet had approved the ban on TLP and sent the matter to the federal government for implementation. “The misuse of loudspeakers will now be strictly controlled by the Loudspeakers Act,” she added.

The information minister said the government and the state had now decided to take a firm stand against the group. Using the name of religion, they constructed properties worth millions of rupees. Petrol pumps, luxury watches and large sums of money were recovered there.

Azma said that despite repeated offers for dialogue, TLP leaders chose confrontation over negotiation. “How does burning private vehicles and attacking police officers help the people of Gaza? she asked.

Providing details of the recent violence, she said 200 police officers had been injured, 17 vehicles damaged and two burned to the ground. “An inspector was martyred, an officer was shot in the arm and another in the throat – he will never speak again,” she said.

The minister also confirmed that Section 144 had been imposed across Punjab to avoid further unrest. “We will register cases of arson and vandalism under the PECA law. The bank and social media accounts of those involved have been frozen and the carrying of weapons is completely prohibited,” she added.

Azma urged citizens to hand over all illegal firearms to the police, warning that failure to do so could result in terrorism charges being brought against them. “Loudspeakers can only be used for sermons or religious speeches – not for incitement of hatred,” she said.

Learn more: The leadership of the TLP facing the music: Naqvi

She thanked traders, transporters and the general public for rejecting the strike call launched by the religious group. She said there was “no justification for such protests” and that the government would not allow any group to paralyze the country under any pretext.

“Those demanding the release of prisoners should know that their demands do not even mention Palestine. The world appreciates Pakistan’s role in supporting the ceasefire in Gaza, and yet these protests were called after the peace deal. This was not a peaceful movement,” she said, wondering: “What was the fault of the martyr SHO?”

The Punjab Information Minister stressed that the Punjab government’s decisions were not directed against any religious party but were taken to enforce law and order. “No one will be allowed to deprive citizens of their fundamental rights,” she said.