LAHORE:
Tehreek-e-Labbaik supporters reached Muridke on Saturday en route to Islamabad, after staging an overnight sit-in at Shahdara following violent clashes with police that left dozens injured and parts of the provincial capital paralysed.
The TLP supporters, led by party chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, began their “Gaza March” from Multan Road on Friday afternoon to “express solidarity with Palestine.”
The march was staged in defiance of Section 144 imposed by the Punjab government, which later sealed major exit points from Lahore in a bid to block the rally’s advance toward Islamabad.
The TLP accused police of using excessive force against rally participants at Shahdara and other parts of Lahore, alleging that officers fired live rounds and tear gas shells.
The party claimed that around two dozen of its workers were killed and more than 200 injured as a result of what it called “police brutality.” The claim, however, could not be verified independently.
Police, meanwhile, claimed that TLP activists had attacked law enforcers with stones and iron rods, injuring over 100 policemen and damaging public and private property. “The police exercised maximum restraint,” an official said, adding that no live ammunition was used.
After an hours-long standoff on Friday, the marchers staged a sit-in at Shahdara, on the northern edge of Lahore. By Saturday evening, the rally had reached Muridke, where TLP leaders announced they would spend the night before resuming the march toward Islamabad on Sunday.
Meanwhile, authorities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi maintained a high alert, blocking all major entry points with shipping containers, suspending metro bus services, and partially cutting mobile internet in anticipation of the protesters’ arrival.
The TLP leadership insists its march is a “peaceful show of solidarity with Gaza,” while the government accuses the group of “exploiting religious sentiment for political purposes”.
The confrontation marks yet another tense episode in TLP’s history of what is believed to be of disruptive protests, underscoring the party’s capacity to mobilise thousands and challenge state authority on the streets.
Police spokesperson said the violent and armed protest by TLP has no purpose other than to disrupt peace and order of the country, create hardships for the public, and carry out violence against police personnel. This cannot, in any way, be considered an expression of solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza.
According to the spokesperson, a peace agreement has been reached in Gaza, and the Muslims there are expressing gratitude to Almighty for the restoration of peace, feeling satisfied and relieved.
Meanwhile, TLP, by resorting to “vandalism” in Pakistan, is seeking to achieve its malicious objectives, he said, adding that these actions clearly show that TLP has no concern with the establishment of peace in Gaza, and this anarchic conduct is akin to strengthening the mission of Israeli extremists.
The spokesperson noted that the armed groups present during the protest were violently attacking police personnel while simultaneously shaping a narrative of victimhood on social media to mislead the public.
The abduction of police officers and the brutal violence inflicted upon them does not, in any way, represent the cause of the Muslims of Palestine; rather, it is a direct challenge to the writ of the state, which cannot be tolerated under any circumstances, the spokesperson said.
He further maintained that those who take the law into their own hands would be dealt with an iron hand, and that there will be no compromise on the dignity of the state. “The public is urged to stay away from rumours, avoid supporting disruptive elements, and fully cooperate with the police in maintaining peace and order.”
Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has stepped in to help defuse tensions arising from TLP’s ongoing protest, sources said on Saturday.
The cleric held telephone conversations with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the federal government’s representative Rana Sanaullah, urging both sides to resolve the issue peacefully.
Following his request, talks between the government and the TLP leadership reportedly began.
The JUI-F chief stressed the need to resolve the matter amicably through dialogue and understanding, warning that the country could not afford further confrontation under the current circumstances, sources added.
