The Punjab government on Thursday imposed Section 144 across the province to ban public gatherings for two days and also said it would recommend the Center to ban the religious political party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) following its violent protests.
According to a statement issued by the Punjab Home Department, Section 144 was imposed across the province till Saturday, banning all types of protests, gatherings, processions, rallies, sit-ins and gatherings.
This development follows a large-scale operation by law enforcement before dawn on Monday to dismantle the TLP protest camp in Muridke, which led to violent clashes, widespread chaos and multiple arrests. The party had undertaken what it described as a “Gaza solidarity” march, vowing to reach Islamabad and protest outside the US embassy.
According to official figures, up to 2,716 people have been arrested after the Muridke operation. Of them, around 251 were arrested by the Lahore police and 178 by the Sheikhpura police. The government has also banned about 2,800 people from traveling abroad, according to Minister of State for the Interior Tallal Chaudhry.
Article 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit a gathering of four or more people in an area for a limited period.
“A complete ban has been imposed throughout the province on the display of all types of weapons, the use of loudspeakers and the publication and distribution of inflammatory, hateful or sectarian material,” the statement said.
He added that the government had issued the orders in view of “concerns related to terrorism and public order.”
“The decision to impose Section 144 was taken to maintain law and order, protect human lives and property,” the statement added.
However, he clarified that the ban will not apply to wedding ceremonies, funerals and burials, and that loudspeakers can only be used to deliver Friday sermons and the Azaan (call to prayer).
“Those present at official functions, officials and officials are exempt from the ban,” he said, adding that in view of security threats, public processions and sit-ins can be easy targets for terrorists.
Punjab Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar held a high-level meeting to review the law and order and security situation in the province.
“Starting tomorrow, no one will be allowed to take to the streets under the pretext of a strike and take the law into their own hands,” he said, according to a statement issued by the Punjab Police.
“Protection of lives and property of citizens and compliance with law will be ensured at all costs. We will deal with miscreants and troublemakers with iron hands and take strict action in case of vandalism and violence,” IG Anwar was quoted as saying in the statement.
He also added that if cases are registered against anyone under the Anti-Terrorism Act for mischief, he will be punished with imprisonment of 10 to 14 years.
“Dozens of miscreants wanted by the Punjab Police under Section 7 of the ATA will be arrested with the help of artificial intelligence-based technology,” he said, according to the statement.
The statement further said that 27,000 officers and personnel of Punjab Police will be deployed on roads while 12,000 Special Branch personnel will nab miscreants.
Meanwhile, videos and images circulating on social media claimed that police were sealing mosques and seminaries belonging to the TLP.
When asked, TLP spokesperson Usman Naushahi confirmed sunrise.com: “The party’s mosques are being sealed and handed over to the Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department.”
Earlier in the day, the Punjab government said it will recommend to the federal government that a ban be imposed on the TLP after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired an “extraordinary meeting” on the province’s law and order situation, during which “landmark decisions were taken to establish the rule and supremacy of the state’s law,” according to a statement issued by her office.
Without mentioning names, the document itself referred to decisions taken against an “extremist party.” However, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari confirmed sunrise.com that the decisions made belonged to the TLP.
One of the decisions taken was that the Punjab government “will recommend to the federal government to impose a ban on an extremist party.”
“The leadership of the extremist party will be included in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Law,” the pamphlet said. The Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed persons who are suspected of terrorism and/or sectarianism under the 1997 ATA.
“Persons involved in hate speech, incitement and violation of law will be arrested immediately in Punjab,” the provincial government decided.
It was also decided that cases against “leaders and workers involved in the martyrdom of police officers and damage to state property” will be tried in the anti-terrorism courts (ATC).
“All properties and assets of the extremist party will be handed over to the Punjab Auqaf Department. There will be a complete ban on posters, banners and advertisements of the extremist party,” the CM Office statement added.
He further said that the party’s “all bank accounts” will be frozen and its social media accounts “that spread hate will be deleted.” The Punjab government also promised “strict action against violation of the Speakers Act.”
The meeting also agreed on a series of measures regarding the Afghan community residing in the province. This included bringing “Afghan citizens into the tax net” and preparing a real-time database of “illegal Afghan residents.”
“A whistleblowing system will be introduced for illegal immigrants. The name of the whistleblower will be kept completely confidential,” the CM Office statement said.
He added that the Punjab government also decided to launch a “control operation against illegal residents and their businesses”. “Illegal immigrants will be deported immediately according to federal government policy.”
The high-level security meeting also agreed to urgently recover illegal weapons, with a “one-month ultimatum” issued by the Department of Home Affairs for owners to hand over their illegal weapons.
“Citizens should register their legal weapons from a [Police] Khidmat Markaz within a month,” the leaflet reads. The government also ordered that the stocks of arms sellers and traffickers be inspected and the issuance of licenses for new weapons would be completely banned.
According to the statement, the Punjab government also “recommended the federal government to regularize arms factories and manufacturers.”
The provincial administration also increased the punishment for those carrying illegal weapons to 14 years in jail, with a fine of up to Rs 2 million, and declared the offense non-bailable.
Today’s development follows a large-scale operation by law enforcement before dawn on Monday to dismantle the TLP protest camp in Muridke, which led to violent clashes, widespread chaos and multiple arrests. The party had undertaken what it described as a “Gaza solidarity” march, vowing to reach Islamabad and protest outside the US embassy.
According to official figures, up to 2,716 people have been arrested after the Muridke operation. Of them, around 251 were arrested by the Lahore police and 178 by the Sheikhpura police. The government has also banned about 2,800 people from traveling abroad, according to Minister of State for the Interior Tallal Chaudhry.
Even as police intensify their crackdown on the group following the events in Muridke, authorities have decided to take a series of measures to “neutralize” the threat that the TLP has posed to law enforcement and non-Muslim communities since its inception.
The decision to rein in the radical group is being linked to some crucial meetings, where the TLP’s tainted record of violent agitations, fatal attacks on law enforcement, as well as looting of Christian and Ahmadiyya places of worship were discussed.
Chaudhry, Minister of State for Home Affairs, has said that action against TLP protesters will be taken in a similar manner to those involved in the May 9, 2023 riots, which led to a nationwide crackdown on the PTI.
The federal government had previously imposed a ban on TLP in April 2021 on the recommendation of the Punjab government under the ATA.
The ban was later revoked in November of that year at the request of the Punjab government, days after a deal was reached with the group to end its violent protest march towards Islamabad.
Restrictions were also briefly imposed on the TLP in June 2023, when the party was on a long march from Lahore to Islamabad. Restrictions lifted under an agreement reached on June 17, 2023 included a ban on coverage of the match on social and electronic media.
Special prosecutors for cases against TLP in Lahore, Sheikhupura
On the other hand, the Punjab government has appointed special prosecutors to represent the State in the terrorism cases registered against the TLP in Lahore and Sheikhupura districts.
According to an order issued yesterday by the public prosecutor of the Punjab government, seen by sunrise.comSupreme Court lawyer Rana Shakeel Ahmed Khan and High Court lawyer Chaudhry Khalid Rasheed have been appointed as special public prosecutors for all cases registered against the TLP “within the jurisdiction of Lahore and Sheikhupura districts/region”.
The appointments, notified following a letter from Lahore Legal Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to Punjab Police Chief Dr Usman Awan, were made under Section 18 of the ATA, which allows the government to appoint prosecutors or law enforcement officers to the Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATC), a high court or the Supreme Court.
The Special Public Prosecutors will coordinate with the Investigation Officers and Joint Investigation Teams for “efficient investigation, proper preparation of case files and represent the State before the Trial Courts in all matters including remand, bail and trial etc.; and the Hon’ble Lahore High Court, Lahore (Principal Seat) in all matters including bail, appeals, reviews, requests for suspension of sentence, orders and other various requests”.
Terms and conditions will be published separately, as indicated in the order.
Action will only be taken against TLP office holders: Naqvi
Meanwhile, at a press conference in Islamabad with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said negotiations were held until the last minute, but “every time [TLP] When they were told to come back, their demands increased.”
The minister added that no one was subjected to violence except those who were holding weapons and shooting. “The police had to clear the streets, and they did,” Naqvi said, praising law enforcement personnel.
“An esteemed political and religious figure also intervened. [during negotiations]but they also abandoned them,” Naqvi highlighted.
Peaceful protest is a right, Naqvi clarified, but bringing weapons or vandalizing cars was not allowed. He further added that apart from TLP office holders, no action will be taken against any madrassa or scholar.
