Relevance for UPSC (GS Paper II – Governance / International Relations)

Background and Emergence

The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is a far-right Islamist political party founded in 2015 by cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, drawing support mainly from Pakistan’s Sunni Barelvi community. It emerged from movements defending Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, especially after the 2011 assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer by his bodyguard Mumtaz Qadri, who was later executed for the crime.

Rizvi and his followers hailed Qadri as a martyr and mobilised around this cause. Using powerful religious messaging, social media campaigns, and mass street protests, the TLP rapidly gained popularity, especially among the lower- and middle-income urban classes of Punjab and Sindh.

In the 2018 general elections, the TLP won around 2.2 million votes, becoming the fifth-largest political force in Pakistan — signalling the mainstreaming of religious populism in the country’s politics.

Why the Party Was Banned

On October 23, 2025, Pakistan’s federal government banned the TLP under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The decision followed violent nationwide protests, road blockades, and attacks on police forces during rallies.
The party’s repeated use of street power, religious rhetoric, and disruptive protests had turned it into a major governance challenge. Its ability to mobilise large crowds and pressure the state on religious issues made it both a political and security concern.

The Core Challenge

• State vs. Street Power: The TLP’s popularity blurs the line between democratic participation and extremist mobilisation.
  
• Religious Populism: Its focus on blasphemy laws and emotional religious narratives makes state negotiation difficult.
  
• Policy Dilemma: A ban may suppress immediate unrest but rarely eliminates ideological support. Overuse of coercion risks pushing such movements underground, while appeasement weakens state credibility.
  

For Pakistan, dealing with the TLP requires a calibrated, long-term approach—balancing religious sensitivities with rule of law and democratic stability.

One-line wrap:
Pakistan’s struggle with the TLP reflects the broader challenge of managing religious populism within a fragile democratic framework.