ISAS Insights

Pakistan is witnessing the rise of a new form of Barelvi political activism. The Barelvi school of thought is a Sunni reform movement that arose in the Indian city of Bareilly in the late 19th century. Its followers revere Prophet Muhammad and Sufis, and ascribe to Sufi shrine-based religious practices. The increasingly assertive political role that the Barelvis are poised to play in the political realm is reflected in the emergence of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as the fourth largest party in the recent elections. Post-elections, the TLP and other Barelvi organisations have heightened their efforts to influence the government through the use of social media, political pressure and mass protests.