Notice indicates that the federal government has reasonable grounds to believe that the party has links to terrorism
Supporters of the banned Islamist political party TLP shout slogans during a protest rally in Lahore, Pakistan October 22, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a notification on the ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), stating that the federal government has “reasonable grounds to believe that TLP is associated with and involved in terrorism”.
The notification, issued on Friday under Section 11B (1)(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, states that the Federal Government orders the TLP to be a proscribed organization for the purposes of the Act and enumerates the aforementioned organization in the First Schedule to the said Act.
The federal cabinet on Thursday unanimously approved a ban on the TLP under the Anti-Terrorism Act, following a request by the Punjab government citing the group’s violent and extremist activities.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. The Home Ministry submitted a summary recommending the ban after receiving formal approval from the Punjab authorities. Senior Punjab officials attended the session through video link.
“Since 2016, this organization has been promoting agitation throughout the country,” the briefing said, adding that previous violent demonstrations had resulted in the deaths of security personnel and innocent bystanders.
The government has banned TLP under the ATA, not the Electoral Act/Article 17 of the Constitution
There is no indication yet that the government also plans to dissolve the TLP as a political party by making a declaration under the Electoral Act/Article 17 and referring the matter to the SC pic.twitter.com/vYuLGXpfSU
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) 24 October 2025
This is the second time the group has been banned. The first ban was enforced on 15 April 2021 under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and later lifted on 7 November of the same year.
According to Article 17 of the Constitution, citizens have the right to form political parties. However, according to clause (2) of the article, a political party can be banned if it is found to be foreign-funded or considered a threat to national security. The Federal Cabinet has the power to approve such a ban on these grounds.
Following the government’s declaration, the Ministry of the Interior must submit a submission to the Supreme Court within 15 days. The Supreme Court’s decision on this referral will be final.
If the court upholds the government’s referral, the political party will be formally declared banned. Once banned, all public representatives belonging to that party will have their membership suspended immediately.
Read: Federal cabinet bans TLP on Punjab’s request after violent protest in Muridke
Last week, the Punjab government had recommended to the Center that a complete ban be imposed on the religious party, whose Gaza march was forcefully dispersed by the authorities on October 13 in Muridke.
In a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, it was agreed that TLP leaders and workers, involved in the death of police officers and damage to public property, will be tried in anti-terrorism courts (ATCs).
The Punjab Police claimed that during the Muridke attack, TLP protesters resorted to violence resulting in the death of a Station House Officer (SHO), while 48 police and Rangers personnel sustained injuries during the clashes with 17 injured by gunshots. During the violence and clashes, three TLP workers and a passer-by also lost their lives, while at least 30 civilians were injured.
Read more: Can TLP actually be banned?
The TLP had planned to march to Islamabad to protest outside the US embassy in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. As police and protesters clashed, protesters set dozens of vehicles on fire.
After failed negotiations, the government cracked down, launching a six-hour operation in Muridke to disperse the protesters. This led to mass arrests, with the TLP claiming the deaths of several workers, including conflicting reports that party chief Saad Rizvi had been shot and wounded.
In view of the violence, the meeting decided to place the TLP leadership under the Fourth Schedule of the ATA. It decided to hand over all properties and assets of the party to the Auqaf Department and impose a complete ban on its posters, banners and advertisements.
It was also decided that all TLP’s social media accounts will also be blocked, the party’s bank accounts will be frozen and strict action will be taken for any violation of the Speakers Act.
