Electoral Mobilization and Religious Populism: An Analysis of the Rise of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Punjab During General Elections 2018 and 2024

Abstract

This study examines the rise of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan in Punjab during the 2018 and 2024 general elections, focusing on the intersection of religious populism and electoral mobilization. The study focused on these questions: How did Tehreek-eLabaik Pakistan (TLP) transform from a religious movement to a political party while maintaining its movement-based identity? What role did the politics of blasphemy and sectarian identity play in shaping the electoral rise of TLP in Punjab during the 2018 and 2024 general elections? Drawing on Religious Populism Theory, the research explores how Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan leveraged sectarian identity, blasphemy politics and street activism to expand its political influence. The study highlights the party’s hybrid nature, functioning simultaneously as a protest movement and a formal political actor. Electoral data, qualitative analysis of party strategies and case studies of major protests—including the Faizabad sit-in and responses to Asia Bibi’s acquittal— demonstrate how Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan mobilized constituencies, particularly among lower-middle-class youth. The findings underscore the implications of religious populism for Pakistan’s democratic processes and the evolving nature of electoral competition in Punjab.