LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet on Wednesday ratified the ban on the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz presided over the cabinet meeting and approved the ratification.

Last month, the Federal government proscribed the TLP on the recommendation of the Punjab government following the violent clashes between the police and TLP supporters in Muridke in which eight people, including a policeman, were killed and over 1,600 were injured.

The Punjab government also handed over the administrative control of the mosques and seminaries erstwhile being run by the TLP to a group of ‘moderate’ clerics. The cabinet extended the scope of the Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to the areas excluded from Tehsil Koh-e-Sulaiman and District Rajanpur. Grant-in-aid was also approved to enhance the capacity of federal and provincial law enforcement agencies.

The cabinet approved several new projects in the province including the recruitment of the “School Teachers Intern” programme in public schools and approved the Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Ordinance 2025. The meeting approved a subsidy under the “High-Tech Farm Mechanization Finance Programme”, under which the government would provide super seeders and other modern equipment at a 60pc subsidy.

Govt also hands over administrative control of mosques, seminaries run by TLP to a group of ‘moderate’ clerics

The cabinet also okayed the proposal to launch the sugarcane crushing season by Nov 15 and approved an MoU for the Lahore-Rawalpindi High Speed Rail.

The meeting approved the establishment of the Air Punjab Private Limited Company as well as the QR code for retailers under the Prime Minister’s Cashless Strategy. The meeting approved ‘Mehrab Mahfouz Roshan’ Punjab. It also approved an MoU for agricultural cooperation with Egypt. It approved the proposed summary of traffic fines and points system.

Funds were approved for the construction of a museum and a memorial in the National Bank Park. The master plan for the restoration, improvement and upgradation of the Lahore Museum was approved and provision of grants to the Punjab Transport Company for establishing electric depots for electric buses in different cities. The foundation stone of the Mass Transit Authority was approved in Gujranwala and it was exempted from the Central Development Working Party (CDWP).

The posts of interventional cardiologists, medical officers, technologists and nurses were approved for the cardiac cath labs established for district hospitals. Relaxation of ban on recruitment for Punjab Financial Advisory Services (PFAS) was approved and recruitment of staff in the Punjab Services Tribunal was also given the nod.

The cabinet approved the appointment of the CEO of the Punjab Land Development Company Limited and the appointment of the CEO of the Punjab Mineral Company (Private) Limited. Relaxation of restrictions on recruitment for new posts in Punjab Sahulat Bazar Authority (PSBA) was approved, while the nomination of non-official member and chairman of the Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA) was also approved.

The meeting also approved other projects in the province.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2025