Federal cabinet bans TLP under ATA on Punjab’s recommendation

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Thursday unanimously approved a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The decision was made during a meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here. “After reviewing details and considering the Punjab government’s recommendation, the federal cabinet unanimously concluded that the TLP was actively involved in terrorism and violent activities,” the PM media wing said in a statement. On the request of the Punjab government, the interior ministry submitted a summary to the federal cabinet. The cabinet was briefed on TLP’s history of violent and terrorist activities across the country. Senior officials from the Punjab government also participated via video link. The briefing highlighted the organisation’s disruptive actions since its inception in 2016, which repeatedly incited unrest and led to violent incidents in various regions of Pakistan.

The meeting was informed that the TLP was previously banned in 2021 by the then government. However, the ban was lifted after six months on the condition that the group would refrain from further violence and public disorder. The current ban has been imposed due to violations of those assurances. The cabinet was further informed that past and particularly protests, rallies, and demonstrations, organised by the TLP, resulted in the deaths of security personnel and innocent civilians. Senior officials of Punjab government participated in the meeting via video link.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Home Department decided to place the names of active TLP members on the Fourth Schedule as soon as the summary regarding banned outfits was received, a senior official of the department told The News.

According to the official, any individual who has a history of association with a proscribed organisation and is kept under observation may be recommended for inclusion in the Fourth Schedule. The list, maintained under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, contains names of individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism or sectarianism.

Once credible intelligence information is received, the Home Department of a province incorporates the names of such individuals in the Fourth Schedule. Those listed are subjected to restrictions on travel, speech, and business activities. In police and law enforcement circles, such persons are referred to as “Fourth Schedulers”.

Individuals included in the list face several restrictions. Their passports are embargoed, and they may require official permission to travel or move from their permanent residence. Their bank accounts can be frozen, and limitations are imposed on financial transactions, assets, and employment clearance.

The law-enforcement agencies keep those listed under strict surveillance, and they are required to report their movements to the police. Additionally, an arms licence embargo is also enforced against them.

A person can be added to the Fourth Schedule by a provincial Home Department based on credible intelligence or a history of links with a proscribed organisation. Separately, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari said on Thursday that the provincial authorities had identified 3,600 financial backers of TLP, both inside and outside the country, and that weapons seized from police in 2021 by the extremist group were used in recent violent protests. She warned that the Punjab government would make it impossible for anyone who takes up arms against the state to operate freely, stressing that the writ of the state was supreme and there would be no compromise on protection of citizens’ lives and property.

Azma said illegal weapons must be surrendered immediately and that anyone involved in incitement or violence would be booked under the PECA Act and tried on terrorism charges. She announced that licences for 28 arms dealers had already been suspended and that no new arms licences would be issued in Punjab.

The minister stated that peace committees had been activated across Punjab and combing operations were under way against illegal Afghan residents to ensure law and order and uphold the state’s authority. She clarified that no mosque had been closed and Friday prayers would continue as usual; loudspeaker use would be limited to the call to prayers and Friday sermons, and any incitement would be met with legal action.

Azma Bokhari described violent incidents during the religious party’s demonstrations, saying police officers were attacked, vehicles were snatched, properties were set on fire and civilians were harmed. She said the party had been involved in funding violent activities; the party’s bank accounts had been frozen and a list of financiers has been prepared. The minister warned parents to keep their children away from such groups or risk being named in terrorism cases.

Of 511 registered arms dealers, she said 393 licences were deemed acceptable while 28 licences were revoked. She added that 1,092,646 citizens in Punjab are recorded as weapons holders; those possessing unlicensed firearms have been ordered to surrender them to police within one month, after which strict action will follow. Azma Bokhari said a province-wide ban is in place on promoting extremist groups — their banners, wall chalking and posters are being removed — and legal action is ongoing against those spreading hate speech on social media. So far, 75 inflammatory social media accounts have been blocked and 107 people arrested on charges of incitement.

She reiterated that the provincial government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, is activating peace committees and launching mobile police stations across districts to provide swift justice and protect citizens. Azma concluded by warning that anyone who challenges the authority of the state will face impartial legal action; the Punjab government remains committed to every measure necessary for the safety, law enforcement, and stability of the province.

Separately, a spokesperson for Home Department said on Thursday a vigorous crackdown on illegal arms dealers had been launched, cancelling licenses of 28 dealers involved in irregularities. Judicial teams have sealed the shops of fake dealers, while legal proceedings have been initiated with the registration of FIRs.

The spokesperson said that the Punjab government was enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against the illegal sale and purchase of arms. As part of this initiative, the department was conducting a comprehensive verification process of all arms dealers across the province.

Out of 511 arms dealers who applied for license validation, 393 licences were verified after thorough scrutiny, and green certificates were issued to them. The documents of 90 arms dealers were still under review — hearings for 44 cases had been completed, while the remaining 46 hearings would be finalised soon, the spokesperson added.

Sharing official statistics, the spokesperson said there were currently 1,012,454 individual arms licences in Punjab, 37,918 licences issued to security companies, and 42,272 licences registered in the names of various institutions — bringing the total number of arms licences in Punjab to 1,092,644.

He said complete arms licence record across Punjab was being digitised in collaboration with NADRA to ensure better monitoring and transparency.