Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari said on Thursday that a decision on the “fate of an extremist party” — an apparent reference to the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan — was expected to come shortly from the federal government.
“The Punjab government had prepared its case on this and forwarded it,” she added.
She made this statement during a press conference in Lahore, days after the Punjab government forwarded a summary[1] to the Centre to ban the religio-political party and amid reports[2] of a federal cabinet meeting scheduled for later today.
At the press conference, the provincial minister detailed recent measures taken by the Punjab government pertaining to law and order and security following a TLP protest[3] earlier this month.
These also include steps taken regarding weapons possession and licences[4], on which Bokhari said the provincial government had “suspended the licences of 28 weapons’ dealers and the shops of some other fake dealers who lacked licences have been sealed”.
“There is zero-tolerance policy on buying and selling of weapons, and as I said earlier, no licence for weapons will now be issued in Punjab,” she added.
The minister further stated that currently, over one million people in the province had weapons’ licences. “A province where such a large number [of people] have licences for weapons, you can figure out how big a challenge it is there to maintain peace.”
Moreover, 47,918 security companies in the province had weapons’ licences and the number of licences issued to various institution exceeded 42,000, she added.
Bokhari then went on to share come details of weapons and ammunition, which she said had been found in custody of “people belonging to the TLP”.
With some pictures displayed on the screen in the background, she said TLP protesters had snatched weapons, ammunition and other articles from police during their protests in previous years.
“This is their modus operandi. They surround police, snatch vehicles, weapons and tear gas guns from them and use them later.
“In the 2021[protest], they robbed 3,498 tear gas shells, 23 tear gas guns, 326 anti-riot kits, two 12-bore pistols and 11 submachine guns,” she said. Pointing to one of the pictures on the screen, she added that they matched the bullets that were shot at police during the TLP’s recent protest.
According to Bokhari, TLP activist damaged eight police vehicles and snatched a submachine gun, two 12-bore pistols, 945 bullets during their recent protest. Moreover, the minister said the protesters had snatched 197 helmets, 22 kits, 130 “safety sheets”, one tear gas guns and 984 tear gas shells, of all which wear part of anti-riot gear.
They even damaged Safe City cameras, Bokhari added.
She further said that a special prosecution cell was working on cases pertaining to the TLP, in which 559 suspects had been sent on physical remand. Among them, 161 were sent to jail and 190 were on judicial remand, she added.
Moving on actions taken regarding social media posts, she said a total of “75 links” had been blocked for sharing hateful and inciting material and 107 people had been apprehended.
Bokhari further said citizens could give tip-offs to police about “the extremist party” and “illegal citizens, be it Afghans or anyone else”, by calling 15 police helpline. Their calls would be transferred to a special cell and the informants’ name would be kept secret, she assured.
She stressed that “dala culture”, too, would not be tolerated.
“Giving a call for strike and forcing shops, business and transport to shut down is totally unacceptable. Cases will be registered under terrorism laws [against those involved],” she further warned.
Bokhari also emphasised that there was a province-wide ban on posters, pamphlets, branding or any other kind of publicity of “extremist mobs”.
About Afghan refugees, she said combing operations had been initiated to identify those lacking the necessary documents, who would then be shifted to centres established at the district level. They would then be sent back to their country in a respectful manner.
This would also apply to others residing in Punjab “illegally”, she said, adding that “information was being collected about illegal citizens doing business in Punjab so that they could also be repatriated”.
In this connection, the minister warned that renting or leasing out properties to “illegal citizens” or letting them stay at one’s residence was a crime and action would taken over it. “The Punjab government has taken a decision on this and it is being implemented.”
More to follow
References
- ^ forwarded a summary (www.dawn.com)
- ^ reports (dunyanews.tv)
- ^ TLP protest (www.dawn.com)
- ^ weapons possession and licences (www.dawn.com)