ISLAMABAD: In a major development to de- radicalise national politics , the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf government on Tuesday decided to maintain ban on Tehreek e Labaik Pakistan (TLP).
The federal cabinet endorsed the recommendations of a committee formed to determine TLP’s actions that led to its ban early this year.
Federal Information minister, Chaudhary Fawad Hussain, told the mediamen while briefing them on the cabinet decisions here that the cabinet took a decision to keep TLP ban and also approach to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to get it delisted as a political party.
He said the federal cabinet had discussed the report of the committee assigned to evaluate the actions that led to ban on TLP and on its recommendations the federal government decided to maintain ban on it, besides approaching to the Election Commission of Pakistan to delist the group from the list of political parties.
The committee report disclosed that TLP was involved in creating law and order situation in the country, besides challenging the writ of state by blocking entry points of the federal capital more than once.
TLP had staged sit in at Faizabad twice . First in 2017 when Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz was in power. Second, in Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) rule.
Both times, it dictated its terms to the government to put an end to sit in.
TLP sit in had given an impression to the world that it was a real power broker in Pakistan and can force any government to bow down and accept its demands or face its wrath.
TLP’s leadership not only dictated the government and state of Pakistan for its demands, but also castigated top military generals publically.
In the given scenario, the government decision to ban TLP and move to get delisted it as a political party from ECP is of extra ordinary significance. It has a clear and loud message for hardliner right wing groups that Pakistan is no more a safe place for them to roam about and block roads when and where they want. It also has another dimension that Pakistan is discourging right wing groups to end the impression as if these groups were real power brokers in Pakistan.
Banning of TLP like group also gives a strong message to US and Europe that Pakistan is no more supportive of hard liner religious groups for certain subtle purposes.
TLP ban is actually a display by Pakistan that it does not follow a policy of supporting and protecting hard liner right wing groups in politics.
Pakistan had faced tough time on international front for an impression that as a policy decision it supports right wing groups. Ban on TLP will help Pakistan dispell this impression and improve its image internationally.
Fawad Chaudhary said as a guest in a TV show that ban on TLP is important and of far reaching impact. He said in the past the governments ignored these groups for petty political benefits.
