ISLAMABAD – The federal government has approved the formation of acommittee to review an application filed by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan(TLP) seeking lifting of ban on it.

This was announced by Federal Information Minister Chaudhary Fawad Hussainduring a meeting of the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

After reviewing the application, the committee will present itsrecommendations to the Cabinet.

Last month, the Ministry of Interior banned TLP, saying the “federalgovernment has reasonable grounds to believe that Tehreek-e-Labbaik isengaged in terrorism, [has] acted in a manner prejudicial to the peace andsecurity of the country, involved in creating anarchy in the country byintimidating the public.”

A notification issued by the ministry stated that TLP was engaged in actsthat “caused grievous bodily harm, hurt and death to the personnel of lawenforcement agencies and innocent bystanders.”

It was also accused of blocking essential health supplies to hospitals “andhas used, threatened, coerced, intimidated and overawed the government, thepublic and created a sense of fear and insecurity in the society and thepublic at large.”

The ban came three days after TLP supporters took to the streets acrossPakistan following the arrest of leader Saad Hussain Rizvi.

Rizvi was taken into custody after he insisted on leading his supporters toIslamabad for another round of sit-ins in protest against the government’sfailure to honor last year’s agreement which had called for the expulsionof the French ambassador over publication of caricatures of ProphetMuhammad.