Punjab Inspector General (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar on Friday warned that no individual or group would be allowed to take the law into their hands.
His warning, posted on Punjab police’s X account, comes amid anxieties stemming from a statement by Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Balochistan president Wazir Ahmad Rizvi, who has called on protesters to converge on Lahore’s Data Darbar today, as well as intelligence reports suggesting that TLP activists may engage in violent clashes and widespread chaos after Friday prayer.
Meanwhile, a separate group named Tanzeemat-i-Ahle Sunnat — which is not linked to the TLP — has also given a protest call for today, demanding a judicial inquiry into a pre-dawn operation on Monday that was launched to dismantle the TLP protest camp in Muridke. The move by law enforcement agencies had triggered violent clashes, chaos dozens of arrests.
There have been reports of authorities going down hard on the TLP since the Muridke incident and Punjab police planning a crackdown to round up the TLP leadership to scuttle the party’s plans for protests today.
A post on Punjab police’s account on social media platform X quoted IGP Anwar as sayin that his department was actively ensuring the safety of people’s lives and properties, supremacy of law and maintenance of peace across the province.
“Punjab police is standing with civil society and the trader community, who have rejected the call for the protest and strike and expressed their resolve for [maintaining] peace and stability,” the statement quoted the police chief as saying.
It said he “strongly condemned violent protests, arson and illegal activities”, warning that no individual or group would be allowed to take the law into their hands. He also warned that “indiscriminate” action would be taken against those violating the law.
The IGP also assured the full implementation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure — a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period — to ensure the safety of private and public properties.
The Punjab government had imposed Section 144 across the province yesterday for two days.
A subsequent post by the police said security was on high alert across the province on the directive of the IGP. “Punjab police has further tightened foolproof security arrangements in the province, including Lahore. On the directive of Punjab IGP, instructions have been issued to all field officers to remain on high alert and take immediate measures to ensure the protection of the lives and property of the public,” the statement said.
It added that district police officers, special branch personnel and the counter-terrorism department had been directed “to keep a close eye on suspicious activities”.
Punjab seeks ban on TLP
A day earlier, the Punjab government had decided to ask the Centre to ban the TLP. In a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab government also decided to place the TLP leadership in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Without naming any party, an official handout referred to decisions taken against an “extremist party”. However, Information Minister Azma Bokhari later confirmed that the reference was to TLP.
According to the handout, the Punjab will “recommend to the federal government to impose a ban on an extremist party and the party leadership be placed in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act”.
The Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed individuals who are suspected of terrorism and/or sectarianism under the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act.
Apart from these recommendations, Punjab also decided to arrest all “individuals involved in hate speech, incitement and violation of law. All leaders and workers involved in the martyrdom of police officers and damage to state property will be tried in anti-terrorism courts (ATCs)”.
“All properties and assets of the extremist party will be handed over to the Punjab Auqaf Department. There will be a complete ban on the extremist party’s posters, banners and advertisements,” the statement added.
It further said that all bank accounts of the party will be frozen and that social media accounts spreading hatred will also be taken down. The Punjab would also ensure strict action on the violation of the Loudspeaker Act.
It may be mentioned here that the federal government had banned the TLP in April 2021 on the recommendation of the Punjab government under the ATA.
The ban was later revoked in November that year upon the request of the Punjab government, days after a deal was reached with the group to end its violent protest march towards Islamabad.
Meanwhile, four cabinet members on Thursday also said that the crackdown on TLP office-bearers would continue. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry described the TLP as a group of anarchists and arsonists that has no political agenda except to challenge the authority of the state.
“The TLP leadership has been deceiving the nation from the very beginning. We were holding talks with them even before the protest march commenced, but they never stood firm on any commitment,“ Naqvi said.
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