Massive protests by the hardline Islamist group Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) escalated into violent clashes across multiple cities on Friday and Saturday, leaving at least 11 people dead and dozens injured. Demonstrators marched towards Islamabad in what they called a “Gaza March” to express solidarity with Palestinians and planned to stage a protest outside the United States embassy.
TLP march and clashes in Lahore
TLP launched its protests in Lahore on Thursday, announcing plans to march to the US embassy in Islamabad to oppose the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas following two years of conflict in Gaza. While the demonstrations were initially organised to challenge the ceasefire, the party said the focus had shifted to expressing solidarity with Palestinians. “We have no demands other than showing solidarity with the people of Gaza,” senior TLP member Allama Muhammad Irfan told AFP as the protesters set off for Islamabad. The rally, led by TLP chief Saad Rizvi, began after Friday prayers from the party’s base on Multan Road in Lahore. Thousands joined, chanting religious slogans and carrying sticks and rods. Police set up barricades and used tear gas at key junctions — including Yateem Khana Chowk, Chauburji, Azadi Chowk, and Shahdara — but protesters broke through, clashing with security forces and pelting stones. Videos on social media showed demonstrators seizing government vehicles and damaging public property.
Spread of violence
Violence soon spread to Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where authorities placed shipping containers to block roads and fired tear gas to disperse crowds. In return, protesters hurled stones at police. Public life in the twin cities was severely disrupted, with schools shut, the Metro bus service suspended, and mobile internet blocked for a second consecutive day. According to Arab News, TLP claimed that 11 of its supporters had been killed and 50 injured since Thursday, though officials have not commented on the claim. Lahore police confirmed multiple injuries among officers and said more than 100 TLP activists had been arrested for attacking law enforcement and damaging property.
Government response and TLP’s history
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned that no group would be allowed to march on Islamabad “under any circumstances,” while State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry accused the TLP of “political blackmail” and misusing religious sentiments. “Peaceful protest is a democratic right,” Chaudhry said, “but there is no room for violence or mob pressure.” Founded in 2015, the TLP has a history of staging disruptive protests on religious and political issues. Since its rise in 2017, the group has repeatedly brought parts of Pakistan to a standstill through mass marches and sit-ins that have paralyzed the capital and major highways for days.