Pakistan
Government bans Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan
The Interior Ministry has issued a notification declaring Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan a banned political party under the anti-terrorism law.
The ban came after a summary was approved by Prime Minister Imran Khan and the federal cabinet on Thursday from the interior ministry seeking a ban on the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP).
After the summary was approved, the cabinet division has also started work issuing the declaration of the TLP's ban. The government will present the declaration of the ban in the Supreme Court, said sources.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will subsequently denotify the TLP on orders of the apex court.
According to details, approval from the federal cabinet was obtained through a circulation summary.
The Punjab government had also recommended a ban on TLP.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed the government was negotiating with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) when they got to know they were planning a march on April 20.
While addressing a presser alongside Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Rasheed said that the designs of TLP’s protests in various cities of Pakistan were "dangerous".
"They wanted to stage a sit-in at the Faizabad Interchange for the fourth time, this is why we had to take the necessary decisions. The reaction of the party was neither in harmony with what our religion says nor what our Constitution says," he said.
The interior minister reaffirmed that the government will not spare those who try to spread anarchy in the country.
Sheikh Rasheed further stated that the cabinet has given its approval to ban the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan adding that notification in this regard would be issued shortly.
The ministers also paid tribute to police officers and law enforcement personnel who got injured in the violent clashes.
On Monday, the protests were sparked by the arrest of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader Saad Rizvi in Lahore on unspecified charges.
Rizvi, in a video message, had asked the TLP workers to be ready to launch the long march if the government failed to meet their demands.
The protestors blocked several roads of major cities including Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi causing massive jams. Clashes between police and demonstrators were also reported from Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and several other cities where police officials fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the protesters, who fought back in some places by pelting stones at police officers.
Injuries to protesters and police officers were also reported from several cities.
Most highways, which were blocked earlier, had reopened on Tuesday, although limited road closures continued to affect the capital Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Imran Khan gave a green signal to a summary sent by the Ministry of Interior seeking a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) following violent protests across the country.
The development came after Interior Minister Shaikh Rasheed announced that the government of Pakistan has decided to ban Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).