Once again, the political atmosphere in Islamabad reverberates with tension — the federal cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has approved a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
According to sources, the move was proposed by the Punjab government, which accused TLP of “violent acts and anti-state activities.”
However, political and public circles are interpreting this decision from a very different perspective.
Many argue that this move represents a departure from democratic principles — an attempt to silence dissenting political voices.
Political analysts note that TLP has, over the past few years, built a solid grassroots following.
Its growing vote bank has reportedly unsettled the corridors of power — and that anxiety, it seems, forms the foundation of this decision.
As one observer remarked:
“This is not just a ban on a political party — it’s an assault on the people’s right to representation.”
It is worth recalling that during the 2023 elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vote bank was also systematically undermined.
Through the manipulation of Form-47, a “handpicked government” was installed — and now it seems that yet another chapter of the same story is being written.
If, in a country that claims to uphold democracy, political parties are eliminated through executive orders,
then this is not democracy — it is a modern form of authoritarianism.
The same government, through the 26th Constitutional Amendment, had already granted the judiciary the freedom to deliver judgments shaped by political preference.
Now, a party that rose to prominence through its ideology and public support is being erased from the political landscape.
The October 10 TLP political march — which was, by most accounts, a peaceful expression of democratic rights —
has been used as a pretext for this ban. This, in essence, amounts to burying democratic freedom under the guise of maintaining order.
Does the government really believe that bans can erase political ideas from the hearts of the people?
History tells us otherwise — every silenced voice has returned as a louder echo.
Today, TLP’s supporters may remain silent.
But that silence could soon transform into a resounding political cry —
a cry that might shake the very pillars of power.
The decision to ban Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan is not merely a government notification —
it is a dangerous signal that in Pakistan, political dissent, ideological expression, and public will
are now subject to the approval of the state.
This ban is not just against one political group — it is against the very spirit of democracy itself.
And perhaps only time will reveal whether this decision becomes the government’s shield —
or the beginning of democratic decay.
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