The notice indicates that the federal government has reasonable grounds to believe that the party has connections to terrorism.
Supporters of the banned Islamist political party TLP chant slogans during a protest rally in Lahore, Pakistan, October 22, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a notification regarding the ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), stating that the federal government has “reasonable grounds to believe that TLP is connected 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 directs the TLP to be a proscribed organization for the purposes of the Act and to include such organization in the first schedule of the said Act.
On Thursday, the federal cabinet unanimously approved a ban on the TLP under the Anti-Terrorism Act, following a request from 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 Punjab authorities. Senior officials from Punjab joined the session through video link.
“Since 2016, this organization has fueled unrest across the country,” the report said, adding that past violent demonstrations had led to the deaths of security personnel and innocent bystanders.
The government has banned the TLP under the ATA, not under the Electoral Law/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 section 17 of the Electoral Act and referring the matter to the SC. pic.twitter.com/vYuLGXpfSU
—Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 24, 2025
This is the second time the group has been banned. The first ban was applied on April 15, 2021, under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and was later revoked on November 7 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 receive foreign funding or is considered a threat to national security. The federal cabinet has the authority to approve such a ban on these grounds.
Following the government’s statement, the Ministry of Interior must file a petition with the Supreme Court within 15 days. The Supreme Court’s decision on this reference will be final.
If the court confirms the government’s reference, the political party will be declared formally banned. Once banned, all public representatives belonging to that party will immediately have their membership suspended.
Read: Federal cabinet bans TLP at 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 forcibly dispersed by 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 killing of police officers and damaging public property, will be tried in anti-terrorism courts (ATC).
The Punjab Police claimed that during the Muridke crackdown, TLP protesters resorted to violence resulting in the death of a Station House Officer (SHO), while 48 police and Rangers personnel were injured during the clashes and 17 were injured by gunshots. During the violence and clashes, three TLP workers and a bystander also lost their lives, while at least 30 civilians were injured.
Read more: Can TLP really be banned?
The TLP had planned to march to Islamabad to protest in front of the US embassy in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. When police and protesters clashed, protesters set dozens of vehicles on fire.
Following the failure of negotiations, the government cracked down and launched a six-hour operation in Muridke to disperse 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.
In view of the violence, the meeting decided to place the TLP leadership under the Fourth Schedule of the ATA. He resolved to hand over all party properties and assets to the Auqaf Department and impose a complete ban on its posters, banners and advertisements.
It was also decided that all social media accounts of TLP will be blocked, the party’s bank accounts will be frozen and strict action will be taken against any violation of the Speakers Act.
