The Punjab government on Thursday said it will recommend to the federal government that a ban be imposed on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan.
The development came as Punjab Chief Minister 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.
Without taking any names, the handout itself referred to decisions taken against an “extremist party”. However, 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 “recommend 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. The Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed individuals who are suspected of terrorism and/or sectarianism under the 1997 ATA.
“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).
“All properties and assets of the extremist party will be handed over to the Punjab Auqaf Department. There will be a complete ban on the extremist party’s posters, banners and advertisements,” the CM Office statement added.
It further said that “all bank accounts” of the party will be frozen, and that its social media accounts “spreading hatred will be taken down”.
