Pakistan bans violent Islamist party for second time in four years

Pakistan banned a violent Islamist party under the country's anti-terrorism law on Thursday, the government said, days after the group clashed with police in an anti-Israel rally and five people were killed.

Pakistan's cabinet has approved the ban, the government said in a statement.

The far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's huge and often violent street protests have caused big problems for many Pakistani governments.

The radical Sunni Muslim group, founded in 2015 as a movement, has focused strongly on attacking actions it considers blasphemous.

It turned into a political party in 2016 making blasphemy a rallying cry.

The party was banned by the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2021 after violent protests.

The ban was lifted within six months on condition that it would stop using violence, the government statement issued by the office of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.