TLP ban

Federal Interior Minister Sh Raheed Ahmad’s announcement of the banning of the Tehrik Labaik Pakistan (TLP) both created certain issues, while containing certain ironies. It is certainly ironic that when the Sheikh was in opposition, and the TLP launched its first major public activity, back in 2017, which brought it into the public eye, he had supported its cause. At that time, the TLP was protesting the removal from the nomination paper of the declaration of a candidate that he was not an Ahmedi. At that time, in taking suo motu notice of the sit-in at Faizabad, Mr Justice Qazi Faez Isa wrote a Supreme Court judgment pointing out that patronizing such organizations could lead to harmful consequences. The TLP did not really perform well in its first, and so far only, outing at the hustings, being wiped out except for two Sindh MPAs. One consequence of the banning will be that there will have to be some decision on what are the consequences for them?

Previous banned organisations have never had any assembly members. It must not be forgotten that the PTI, presently in office at the centre and in two provinces, did not do even this well in its own first outing, back in 1997, when it won nothing. It was only in 2002 that it won one seat. The impact of the ban may be gauged by the letter written by another proscribed organisation, the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has invited it to join its fight against the state. This raises a horrific prospect, which is all the more horrible because such organisations have been patronised by certain state institutions.

Sh Rashid should not have been caught by surprise, as he admitted, and the mere clearing of roads merely restores the status quo. There is nothing to prevent a repetition of the shutdown of the country if flaws are not identified. The capability shown by the TLP should have been reported to the Interior Minister, had energy and resources not been devoted to hounding the opposition. People have been killed, and it is essential that the government ensures that responsibility is fixed. A ban that allows life to go on as normal will be of no use.