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Pakistan faces unprecedented unrest as thousands of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) supporters clashed with police in Lahore during a Gaza solidarity march. What triggered the deadly violence leaving dozens dead and authorities struggling to regain control?
TLP claims 250 members killed and 1,500 injured.
Lahore: Lahore turned into a flashpoint of violence as supporters of the hardline Islamist group Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) clashed with police during a massive protest march. The unrest, which began last Thursday in Punjab province, escalated sharply after authorities stopped protesters from marching toward Islamabad for a planned pro-Palestine rally outside the US embassy.
According to local reports, protesters hurled stones at security forces, prompting police to respond with batons, tear gas, and gunfire. TLP claimed at least two of its members were killed, and around 50 were injured. However, as per the latest updates, 58 soldiers were killed, 30 soldiers were injured, and over 150 civilians were injured amid the chaos.
The unrest quickly spread beyond Lahore. The Station House Officer (SHO) of Muridke was shot dead, and several police personnel were injured after attacks by protesters and, in a separate incident, by lawyers near the court premises.
Public life in Lahore was paralysed as schools, colleges, and universities closed, and several major roads were blocked. Security forces struggled to restore order, deploying large contingents including Pakistan Rangers and district police teams.
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Dubbed the “Gaza March,” the protest was intended to show solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s military actions. TLP chief Saad Rizvi, addressing supporters, vowed, “Arrest is not a problem, bullets are not a problem, shells are not a problem — martyrdom is our destiny.”
Rizvi was later shot multiple times and remains in critical condition. However, the group claims over 250 of its workers have been killed and more than 1,500 injured during the clashes. Authorities, however, have stated that police action was necessary to prevent the march from reaching Islamabad.
Police conducted raids across three districts in the Sahiwal division, detaining party workers and leaders under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order. Detainees were later shifted to central prisons in Pakpattan, Sahiwal, and Okara.
Punjab police spokesperson Mubashir Hussain confirmed arrests and ongoing manhunts for the remaining suspects. Security forces also suspended mobile and internet services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to prevent further escalation.
Massive TLP protest sparks deadly clashes.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened a high-level meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to review the internal security situation. Over 1,200 paramilitary personnel were deployed across Punjab to contain the TLP march.
The TLP, banned in 2021 following earlier violent protests, had lifted the ban, allowing the group to mobilise thousands of supporters. The “Gaza March” began after prayers at TLP’s Lahore headquarters, with demonstrators carrying sticks, rods, and bricks while chanting religious slogans.
As authorities continue their crackdown, concerns over civilian safety remain high. Analysts warn that the combination of political unrest, extremist mobilization, and inadequate crowd control could prolong instability in Pakistan.
The country now faces a critical question: how to balance the right to protest with maintaining public safety amid rising fatalities and mass unrest.
