KARACHI: Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, has formally approved a recommendation to ban the religio-political Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, days after violent clashes broke out during the group’s attempted protest march toward Islamabad in “solidarity with Gaza.”
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Friday, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari confirmed the provincial cabinet’s decision, saying it had been sent to the federal government for final enforcement.
“The Punjab Cabinet has approved the move to ban the TLP, and this approval has been sent to the federal government,” she said. “The legal requirement concerning the provinces has been fulfilled.”
The announcement came a few days after a pre-dawn operation by law enforcement authorities in Muridke, a town near Lahore, where the TLP had set up a protest camp en route to Islamabad. The crackdown led to violent clashes and dozens of arrests, effectively halting the group’s planned march, which was intended to culminate in a sit-in outside the US Embassy.
Despite a TLP call for nationwide demonstrations following Friday prayers earlier today, no major protests were seen in any of the major cities.
