Azma Bokhari says federal govt to decide about TLP’s fate today

Punjab Information Minister Azma Zahid Bokhari on Thursday said that the federal cabinet’s decision on banning the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was expected within a few hours.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Bokhari said that a cabinet meeting presided by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be held, wherein the future of the TLP was expected to be decided.

Bokhari said that 3,600 financiers of the religio-political party have been identified at home and abroad. The donations received by the party used to reach the homes of the religious group directly, she said.

She said that TLP chief Saad Rizvi and the party’s leaders were involved in violent acts and she also appealed to parents to keep their children away from TLP’s activities, otherwise terrorism cases would be registered against them.

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The information minister said that TLP’s bank accounts had been frozen and a list of financiers had been prepared. She said it was made sure that there was no funding being provided to this party in any way.

“During the protest of the religious party, police personnel were subjected to violence, police vehicles were snatched, civilian properties were damaged and several vehicles were set on fire,” she said.

She said that those protesting in the name of the freedom of Gaza and Palestine had burned public and private properties. She warned that if they tried again, they would not succeed because the “state cannot be fought and the federation would soon decide the fate of this extremist group”. She said that whatever decision the government made, it would stand by it.

Bokhari further stated that no arms licence would be issued to anyone in Punjab and the commitment to make the province free of arms would be implemented. 511 arms dealers had applied for licence validation while the documents of 90 dealers were being examined, she added.

The provincial minister said that people residing illegally in Punjab would have to return to their country and information was being collected to take action against them. Arrests would also be made soon in this regard, she maintained.

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She said: “Terrorism cases will be registered for attempts to close the market and stop transport. A complete ban has been imposed on posters and publicity of extremist groups and installation of any advertising material will not be allowed.”

The minister further said that the firearms that were snatched from the law enforcers in 2021 were in their possession and were used in 2025. Several complaints were received that the vehicles of ordinary people were being seized and government vehicles were also targeted. She said that 75 provocative links on social media have been blocked.

Bokhari said that reports of violations of the Loudspeaker Act were being prepared on a daily basis; the use of loudspeakers was mainly for Friday sermons and Azan and the prosecution cell was monitoring everything. No one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands and the peace of Punjab would not be disturbed, she added.

“The shops of arms dealers who did not have licences have been sealed and every necessary step will be taken for the peace of the province,” she said, adding that criminals used to surround the police and snatch weapons, vehicles and tear gas guns.

The provincial minister also said that 37,918 arms licenceswere registered with security companies, while more than 42,000 arms licences were in the names of various institutions. Individuals who had arms licences must register them at service centres, she said.