On October 23, 2025, Pakistan’s federal government took the dramatic step of banning the religio-political party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act, following a wave of violent protests that left a trail of destruction and a nation grappling with questions about the limits of political dissent. The move, which was unanimously approved by the federal cabinet on the recommendation of the Punjab provincial government, marks the second time in recent years that the controversial party has been outlawed—a testament to the recurring turbulence it has brought to Pakistani streets and politics.
The latest ban comes in the aftermath of a bloody confrontation between TLP supporters and law enforcement on the outskirts of Lahore, where thousands of the group’s followers attempted to march to Islamabad. Their declared aim: to hold a rally in solidarity with Palestinians outside the U.S. Embassy. The protest, which began on October 11, quickly escalated. Roads were barricaded, mobile internet services suspended, and law enforcement agencies, including the Pakistan Rangers and police contingents from five districts, were dispatched to Muridke, where the protesters had camped. According to Dawn, a pre-dawn operation on October 13 saw security forces move to dismantle the protest camp, sparking violent clashes, widespread chaos, and dozens of arrests.
The human cost was significant. As reported by the Associated Press, at least one police officer and four civilians lost their lives, while more than 100 police officers and dozens of protesters were injured. The authorities said police repeatedly came under attack by demonstrators wielding batons, rocks, and even firearms. Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari detailed that during these recent protests, TLP activists damaged eight police vehicles, snatched a submachine gun, two 12-bore pistols, 945 bullets, and a host of anti-riot gear, including 197 helmets and 984 tear gas shells. “This is their modus operandi. They surround police, snatch vehicles, weapons and tear gas guns from them and use them later,” Bokhari told reporters, illustrating the scale and method of the group’s confrontations with law enforcement.
Violence linked to the TLP is not new. The party, established in 2016, has a history of staging disruptive rallies, often in response to perceived blasphemy or insults to Islam. Its 2017 Faizabad demonstrations were particularly notorious, resulting in deaths among both security personnel and bystanders. The party first gained national attention during the 2018 elections, campaigning on a hardline defense of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. According to Geo News, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah emphasized, “The purpose of a ban was not to eliminate any party, but to purge it of any anti-state and terrorist elements. No one had any issue with the TLP’s religious views. But, whenever the party staged protests in the past, it led to violence and loss of life.”
It’s not the first time the state has tried to rein in the TLP. In April 2021, the party was banned after violent protests over the publication of caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in France, with TLP demanding the expulsion of the French envoy. That ban was lifted just six months later, after the group gave assurances—since violated—that it would abstain from further violence. “A reason for the current ban on the organisation was also the reneging on the guarantees given in 2021,” the Prime Minister’s Office noted in its press release on Thursday.
The government’s latest crackdown has been multi-pronged. Bokhari announced that the Punjab government had suspended licenses of 28 weapons dealers and sealed the shops of others operating without proper documentation, declaring a “zero-tolerance policy on buying and selling of weapons.” More than a million people in the province hold weapons licenses, a situation Bokhari described as a major challenge for maintaining peace. She also revealed that a special prosecution cell was working on TLP-related cases, with 559 suspects sent on physical remand, 161 jailed, and 190 on judicial remand. The digital front hasn’t been ignored either: 75 social media links spreading hate or incitement have been blocked, and 107 individuals apprehended for related offenses.
The financial web supporting the TLP has also come under scrutiny. Bokhari stated that 3,800 TLP financiers have been identified, their funding sources blocked, and legal action initiated under anti-terrorism laws. Authorities reportedly recovered 1.92 kilograms of gold, 898 grams of silver, 68 rare watches, and other valuables from the residence of TLP chief Saad Rizvi. Furthermore, 95 bank accounts linked to Rizvi have been frozen, and properties allegedly purchased under anonymous ownership have been seized. The management of 130 TLP-linked mosques has been transferred to the government’s Auqaf Department, while 223 seminaries have been geo-tagged for monitoring.
As the state tightens its grip, the whereabouts of TLP leader Saad Rizvi have become a matter of speculation. According to Dawn, authorities believe Rizvi and his brother Anas fled to Azad Jammu and Kashmir, though the party claims to have lost contact with its chief since the police operation on October 13. The Punjab government has placed the TLP leadership on the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act—a watch list for individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism or sectarianism. Those offering financial or political support to the party now face the prospect of terrorism charges.
The process for banning a political party in Pakistan is, on paper, a rigorous one. The National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta) maintains lists of proscribed groups and individuals, and the government can refer a ban to the Supreme Court under Article 17(2) of the Constitution. Yet, as Dawn has previously analyzed, most attempts to ban political parties have fizzled out, with the final decision resting with the judiciary. Still, the federal government’s actions are sweeping: offices shut down, rallies banned, and party assets seized. Bokhari warned, “Giving a call for strike and forcing shops, business and transport to shut down is totally unacceptable. Cases will be registered under terrorism laws [against those involved].”
The TLP, for its part, has rejected the government’s decision, calling the move “unconstitutional and politically motivated.” In a statement released late Thursday, the party insisted that it was being unfairly targeted for its political and religious activism. Critics of the ban argue that outlawing groups like the TLP risks driving them underground rather than eliminating their influence, while supporters see the action as a necessary step to restore law and order in a country where protests too often turn deadly.
As Pakistan grapples with the aftermath of yet another round of political violence, the fate of the TLP remains uncertain. The government’s resolve is clear, but whether the ban will endure—and whether it will bring peace or simply set the stage for further confrontation—remains to be seen.
