Rana Sanaullah. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Friday ruled out any talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), saying the group had been “created in an attempt to cut into the PML-N’s vote bank”.
The Home Office has previously issued a notice declaring the TLP a proscribed organisation, placing it in the First Schedule under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997. Now a reference will be sent to the Supreme Court through the Law Ministry.
Speaking on a private TV channel programme, in response to a question about the future of the TLP as a political party and whether it was retained as an option to be used against rival political parties, Sanaullah agreed that the TLP had been used for that purpose in the past and continued to tease that “it was created to steal votes from the PML-N vote bank”.
However, the adviser denied that the TLP’s current fate had anything to do with its past use as a proxy group, stating that “it was up to the federal cabinet to decide on any dissolution plans”.
“I am not in a position to speak on behalf of the government,” he said, expressing optimism that the decision to dissolve the party will be made.
When asked if the government was open to negotiating with the now-banned group if it gave any assurances, referring to the TLP’s ban in 2021 and its subsequent lifting, Sanaullah responded saying, “I think there can be no reassurance after you have already violated assurances that were given earlier”.
He stressed that “any party, whether political, religious or academic, involved in terrorist activities can be banned under Section 11b of the Anti-Terrorism Act”.
The Punjab government on October 16 sought a ban on TLP. This request was approved by the federal cabinet on Thursday.
The Home Office notice states that the federal government considers TLP to be involved in acts of terrorism and under Section 11B(1A) of the ATA it is declared prohibited and included in the First Schedule.
Legal experts note that the first schedule lists organizations prohibited under the ATA 1997.
Groups placed on it face complete restrictions on their activities, including opening offices, holding rallies or participating in any public event. Their funds and bank accounts are frozen, and fundraising or financial assistance is prohibited.
Leaders and active members may face travel bans, while their media coverage and social media activity are also blocked. Authorities can monitor such individuals by placing them in the Fourth Schedule to track their movements. Even rebranding under a new name is considered illegal, and continued activities under any name could lead to terrorism charges.
At least five people – including a police officer, three TLP workers and a bystander – were killed when law enforcement agencies conducted a major pre-dawn operation in Muridke on October 13 to disperse what officials described as “armed and violent mobs.”
The crackdown came amid a multi-day protest march by TLP supporters moving from Lahore towards Islamabad in what the group called a pro-Palestine demonstration.
In a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on October 16, it was agreed that TLP leaders and workers involved in the death of police officers and destruction of public property will be tried in anti-terrorism courts (ATCs).
The police claimed that during the Muridke attack, the TLP protesters resorted to violence, as a result of which 48 police and Rangers personnel sustained injuries, 17 of whom sustained gunshot wounds.
