Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) started its political itinerary in 2017 when it got registered with Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Amid ECP’s restrictions on using holy names, the party was registered under title of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). Leader of the party is termed as Ameer and Allama Hafiz Khadim Hussain Rizvi (RA) was appointed as its first leader.
Soon after its registration, TLP contested its first competition in Lahore’s favourite constituency of NA-120 (as per old boundaries, current NA-125). Sheikh Azhar Hussain Rizvi was nominated as candidate by TLP contesting against well-established political parties. Party’s advertisement in the constituency was too low to be observed. However, leadership of TLP put all their energies to convince people by their sermons. Along with very low advertisement, TLP was facing media blackout. In spite of all hurdles, it managed to bag third largest vote bank in the constituency defeating many sound rivals.
Passing through a few by-elections, TLP decided to step into general elections 2018. With limited means but inexhaustible zeal, 561 candidates were nominated against various national and provincial seats. No candidate was aided by central secretariat and election campaign was driven by support of indigenous people. Though the party bagged fifth largest vote bank (2.2 million votes) for candidates of national assembly and third largest (1.9 million) for candidates of Punjab assembly, but unfortunately it couldn’t win any seat of these legislative institutes. Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan faced prejudiced attitude from polling staff and its polling agents were either ousted from polling stations or not provided with signed form-47 on many places. It held a rally (led by Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi) in Lahore against rigging as well right after elections on August 6, 2018 but didn’t pursue it due to an immediate matter of blasphemous caricatures in Netherlands (for which it held a march to Islamabad from August 30, 2018). Only three seats of TLP were in provincial legislative house of Sindh (two general and one reserved seats).
Find out more: Parliamentarians of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan
Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan kept on taking part in all by-elections during this period as well and usually would stand in third position. Our older website (tlyp.org) was also targeted in crackdown of 2018 and we are unable to link details of bye-elections of that period. Elections in 2020 were delayed due to Covid-19.
Find out more: TLP in by-elections of 2021
In July 2021, TLP participated in general elections of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Till date, TLP always faced media blackout and its posters and flexes are taken down by authorities. Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan is preparing for participation in local government elections 2021 but aims for exceptional performance in general election 2023 as well (subject to “fairness” though).
Find out more: TLP in general elections of AJ&K 2021
Find out more: TLP in local government elections 2021