The Government of Pakistan has once again outlawed the hardline religious organisation Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) following a resurgence of violent unrest that claimed multiple lives earlier this month.

The announcement was made on Thursday after a federal cabinet meeting, amid intensifying scrutiny over Islamabad’s inability to rein in extremist movements operating with impunity across the country.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the decision to proscribe TLP was taken unanimously based on a strong recommendation from the Punjab provincial government. The Interior Ministry, in its briefing to the cabinet, categorically described the TLP’s actions as “violent and terrorist activities” that have repeatedly endangered public safety and state security.

The government statement recalled the organisation’s record of inciting deadly nationwide protests since its formation in 2016. It emphasised that both security personnel and civilians have fallen victim to violent demonstrations orchestrated by the TLP. The group, which rose to prominence through street agitation and religious fervour, claims to be a defender of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws but has often weaponised such issues to mobilise mobs and confront state authority.

Prime Minister’s Political Affairs Adviser Rana Sanaullah, speaking to Geo News, clarified that the decision to ban the party was not an attack on its religious beliefs but a necessary step to curb its violent conduct. “No one has any issue with their religious views,” he explained, adding that the government’s concern lay in the “destruction and loss of life caused by their protests.”

Sanaullah further referenced the notorious 2017 Faizabad sit-in, which paralysed Islamabad for several weeks and exposed the government’s vulnerability to extremist street power. He described it as a stark reminder of the group’s capacity to subvert civil order and challenge the authority of the state through mob pressure.

This marks the second time the TLP has been banned under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws. Its earlier proscription in 2021 was lifted six months later after the group pledged to abandon violence—a commitment the government now concedes was not upheld. Authorities cited repeated instances of violent conduct and breaches of earlier assurances as justification for reinstating the ban.

Under existing legal provisions, the cabinet’s decision serves as an interim measure. The matter will now be referred to Pakistan’s Supreme Court under Article 17(2) of the Constitution, which stipulates that the apex court’s ruling on such bans is final.

The decision places Islamabad once again at a critical juncture in its long-standing struggle to balance religious sensitivities with the imperatives of national security and public order.

Based On ANI Report