The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has approved a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under Section 11-B(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The move marks a major step by the government to curb the rise of religious extremism.
According to official sources, the cabinet directed the Ministry of Interior to complete the legal procedure and forward the case to the Ministry of Law. The law ministry will then prepare a formal reference to be filed in the Supreme Court. Once the apex court approves the reference, the Election Commission of Pakistan will de-notify TLP, officially enforcing the ban.
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The decision follows the Punjab government’s earlier recommendation to outlaw TLP. The provincial authorities cited the group’s repeated violent protests, hate-filled sermons, and defiance of the state’s authority.
In its summary, the Interior Ministry detailed the organisation’s violent record from 2016 to 2025. The report highlighted TLP’s involvement in sectarian incitement, mob violence, and destruction of public and private property. The ministry told the cabinet that the group’s actions had caused widespread damage and strained law-enforcement agencies for nearly a decade.
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The charge sheet described TLP as a group promoting sectarian hatred, inciting violence against minorities, and damaging Pakistan’s international relations. It cited incidents during Muharram in Sheikhupura and Mianwali, where TLP-linked clashes left seventy people injured and five dead.
The report also accused TLP of being involved in weaponisation and mob assaults. It added that in the group’s recent protests, one police officer was martyred, six civilians were injured, and forty-seven police personnel sustained wounds, with some left permanently disabled.
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Officials described the group’s activities as a pattern of organised violence that blurred the line between protest and militancy. They warned that TLP’s defiance of state authority had turned into a systematic threat to national stability and public order.
Under the cabinet’s instructions, the Ministry of Law will submit the reference to the Supreme Court within fifteen days. The court will review the evidence and decide the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Once the court endorses the move, the Election Commission will formally cancel TLP’s registration as a political party.
For years, TLP has operated in the grey zone between faith and politics, using religious sentiment to mobilise large crowds. The ban signals a clear shift in policy towards groups accused of weaponising religion for political gain.
