LAHORE: The federal government is reported to have decided to declare the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) as a proscribed organisation.

Police sources privy to the development told Dawn on Tuesday that the decision had been taken at a high-level meeting held in Lahore and Dr Tahirul Qadri’s party was likely be included in the official list – First Schedule of the Ministry of Interior.

Know more: Key leaders of PAT arrested across Punjab

They said Dr Qadri’s speeches had incited his followers and other people against the government, waging war against the state and indulging in incidents of ransacking, arson and terrorism.

The sources said the procedure to be adopted in declaring PAT as a banned organisation would be in the light of the Anti-Terrorism Act, meaning that its fund-raising campaigns would also come under scrutiny.

Published in Dawn, Aug 13th, 2014