The Punjab government on Thursday said it will recommend to the federal government that a ban be imposed on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
The development came as Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired an “extraordinary meeting” on the province’s law and order situation, during which “historic decisions were made to establish the state’s writ and supremacy of the law”, a statement issued by her office said.
The handout referred to decisions taken against an “extremist party”. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari confirmed to Dawn.com that the decisions made pertained to the TLP.
One of the decisions taken was that the Punjab government will “request the federal government to impose a ban on an extremist party”.
“The extremist party’s leadership will be placed in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act,” the handout said.
“Individuals involved in hate speech, incitement and violation of law will be arrested immediately in Punjab,” the provincial government decided.
It was also decided that cases against “leaders and workers involved in the martyrdoms of police officers and damage to state property” will be tried in anti-terrorism courts (ATCs).
Today’s development follows a large-scale pre-dawn operation by law enforcement agencies on Monday to dismantle the religio-political party’s protest camp in Muridke, which sparked violent clashes, widespread chaos, and multiple arrests. The party had set out for what it described as a “Gaza solidarity” march, pledging to reach Islamabad and protest outside the US embassy.
As per the official figures, as many as 2,716 people have been arrested after the Muridke operation. Out of these, some 251 were taken into custody by Lahore police and 178 by Sheikhpura police. The government has also barred around 2,800 people from travelling abroad, according to Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry.
Even as police intensify their crackdown on the group following the events that transpired in Muridke, the authorities have decided to take a series of measures to “neutralise” the threat the TLP has posed to the law enforcers and non-Muslim communities since its inception.
The decision to put the radical outfit on a leash is being linked to some crucial meetings, where the TLP’s tainted record of violent agitations, fatal attacks on the law enforcers, as well as ransacking of Christian and Ahmadiyya places of worship came under discussion.
Meanwhile, the number of cases registered against the outfit has reached 72, with at least 39 registered in Lahore, amid arrests of second- and third-tier leaders of the TLP.
As the whereabouts of TLP chief Saad Rizvi remain unknown, Lahore DIG Faisal Kamran said Rizvi had escaped during the police operation. He added that the police have managed to trace his location and he would be arrested soon.
It may be noted that a money laundering probe has also been initiated against Rizvi after law enforcers recovered huge sums of money during a raid at his residence in Lahore. The total currency allegedly recovered from the residence amounted to Rs110 million, including 50,000 Indian rupees.
Chaudhry, the minister of state for interior, has said action against the TLP protesters will be taken in a manner similar to that of those involved in the May 9, 2023 riots, which led to a country-wide crackdown on the PTI.
Special prosecutors for cases against TLP in Lahore, Sheikhupura
Separately, the Punjab government has appointed special public prosecutors to represent the state in terrorism cases registered against TLP in the districts of Lahore and Sheikhupura.
According to an order issued by the Punjab government’s public prosecution department yesterday, seen by Dawn.com, Advocate Supreme Court Rana Shakeel Ahmed Khan and Advocate High Court Chaudhry Khalid Rasheed have been appointed as special prosecutors for all cases registered against the TLP “within the jurisdiction of Lahore and Sheikhupura districts/region”.
The appointments — notified following a letter by the Lahore deputy inspector general (DIG) legal for Punjab police chief Dr Usman Awan — were made under Section 18 of the ATA, which allows the government to appoint public prosecutors or law officers to Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs), a high court or the Supreme Court.
The special public prosecutors will coordinate with investigation officers, joint investigation teams for “efficient investigation, proper preparation of case files and represent the state before trial courts in all matters including remands, bails and trials etc; and Honorable Lahore High Court, Lahore (Principle Seat) in all matters, including bails, appeals, revisions, petitions for suspension of sentence, writs and other miscellaneous applications”.
Terms and conditions will be issued separately, the order stated.
More to follow
