Islamabad, Pakistan – The provincial government of Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, is seeking federal approval to ban the far-right religious party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) amid a violent crackdown on the group’s protesters this week.

In a meeting chaired by Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the province’s chief minister and niece of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, officials approved what they described as “historic” and “extraordinary” decisions.

The chief minister did not name the TLP, but a statement from her office said the ban would be sought against an “extremist” party, and added that those involved in inciting violence, spreading hatred and violating the law would be arrested “immediately”.

“The extremist party’s leadership will be placed in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act,” the provincial government statement said. The Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed individuals suspected of terrorism and sectarianism under Pakistan’s antiterrorism legislation.

The announcement came four days after a large-scale predawn operation by law enforcement agencies on Monday to dismantle a TLP protest camp in Muridke, 60km (37 miles) from the provincial capital, Lahore.

Muridke made headlines earlier this year in May when India launched missiles on the town, targeting what it claimed were sanctuaries for Pakistan-based armed groups responsible for carrying out attacks on Indian territory.

Following the police operation against the TLP – a political party with a controversial and violent history – authorities said they detained more than 2,700 people, while another 2,800 were placed on an exit control list.

Advertisement

The party has led blasphemy-related protests in Pakistan, a highly sensitive topic in the Muslim-majority country, and has been accused of attacks against religious minorities, particularly Christians and Ahmadis.

Why was the TLP protesting?

United States President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point plan on September 29, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing b