LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz urged religious scholars to take an active role in improving society while addressing a meeting of the Ittehad-e-Bain-ul-Muslimeen in Lahore on October 29, 2025. During the session, she revealed that the seminaries of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) had been handed over to renowned religious scholar Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rahman following the imposition of a ban on the party.
The federal government imposed the ban on TLP on October 24, 2025, after violent protests by the group led to the deaths of a police station house officer (SHO) and three others, including a passerby.
At the meeting, CM Maryam emphasized the importance of seminaries and mosques in promoting religious education. She expressed shock over the violent incidents that occurred during TLP protests, describing images of the chaos as “something unimaginable.” She recounted how vehicles designated for cleaning were set ablaze and roads were blocked, causing immense hardships for the public.
The Chief Minister criticized TLP for acting independently and tarnishing the reputation of religious leaders and parties across the country. The TLP had announced a sit-in outside the US Embassy to show solidarity with Gaza, but faced roadblocks in Punjab, and their protest camp was dismantled in Muridke, resulting in clashes with police.
CM Maryam highlighted the government’s responsibility to protect the people of Pakistan, especially when it comes to foreign embassies. She questioned how the planned protest outside Islamabad could be considered solidarity with Palestine when calls were made to attack the capital after a peace agreement for Gaza had been reached.
Maryam called on religious parties to distance themselves from such extremist groups and urged religious scholars to contribute to societal betterment. Reflecting on the May 9 riots, she noted that the downfall of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) began when the party resorted to violence. She stressed that her own party had never taken up arms during its political struggles.
The CM also raised concerns about the large stockpiles of weapons recovered during raids on TLP offices, questioning the need for such weapons during protests. Authorities are still searching for TLP leader Saad Rizvi and his brother, Anas Rizvi, who remain at large, with plans for their imminent arrest.
