The Punjab government has launched a sweeping crackdown on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and its leadership, freezing 95 bank accounts and sealing assets registered under the name of the party’s chief, Saad Rizvi.
Provincial Minister for Information Azma Bukhari announced the action at a press conference on Tuesday, warning that individuals financing or supporting the group would face terrorism charges. She said the government had identified 3,800 additional national and international bank accounts allegedly used to fund the organisation.
“The leadership of the religious organisation has been divided into three tiers, and a crackdown is currently underway against all of them,” Bukhari stated. She added that 95 accounts and several properties belonging to Rizvi had already been sealed.
Authorities have also recovered a substantial amount of assets from Rizvi’s residence, including 1.92 kilograms of gold, 898 grams of silver, 69 branded watches, and Rs144.4 million in cash. Law enforcement agencies further confiscated foreign currency worth over Rs2.5 million, including Indian rupees, pound sterling, Canadian dollars, Saudi riyals, and UAE dirhams.
According to the Punjab Police spokesperson, the operation was conducted in coordination with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Officials confirmed that the seized valuables, cash, and jewellery—valued at over Rs63.4 million—were verified and documented in the presence of FIA and cybercrime representatives.
The provincial minister said the Punjab cabinet had already approved a summary recommending a federal ban on TLP, which is expected to be formally enforced in the coming days. She said the move would be implemented “in letter and spirit” as part of a wider effort to curb extremism and restore public order.
Bukhari disclosed that the Punjab government had also taken administrative control of 330 mosques previously affiliated with TLP. “These mosques will remain open for regular prayers, but any political or provocative activity will not be tolerated,” she said. The government also geo-tagged 223 madaris linked to TLP, six of which were found to be constructed on government-owned land. Most of these seminaries will reopen soon under the supervision of moderate Sunni scholars, while others remain under review by security agencies.
She clarified that the grave of TLP founder Khadim Hussain Rizvi would not be relocated but warned that it must not be used for fundraising or public gatherings. “No one will be allowed to exploit the grave for provocative or financial purposes,” she said.
Bukhari expressed concern over the involvement of educated individuals in TLP’s activities, calling it “a threat to national peace.” She said several well-educated and prominent figures were aiding the group financially and digitally, adding that online radicalisation was a growing concern.
She urged parents to monitor their children’s activities closely. “Your children were not born to become someone’s cannon fodder,” she said, noting that many families only learned of their children’s involvement after their arrests.
The minister also warned that those using social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook to incite violence would face terrorism charges. “These people will carry a criminal record and will not be eligible for university admissions, visas, or any state facility,” she cautioned.
Dismissing rumours about the TLP chief and his family, Bukhari confirmed that both Saad Rizvi and his brother were alive and being traced by law enforcement agencies. “They will soon be brought to justice,” she asserted.
