LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) – In Lahore, Pakistan, more than 100 individuals have been arrested following clashes between police and supporters of the radical Islamist political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). The confrontations erupted as the TLP sought to march from Lahore to Islamabad to express solidarity with Palestinians. However, local authorities denied them permission to demonstrate in the capital.
The violence escalated on Friday, resulting in police employing tear gas and batons to disperse the TLP supporters who retaliated by throwing stones. On Saturday morning, law enforcement fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to uphold barricades set up to prevent protesters from advancing.
Kamran Faisal, the Deputy Inspector General for Operations in Lahore, reported that protesters engaged in violent actions, including seizing and damaging official vehicles, with one police vehicle even being set ablaze. He confirmed that 112 police personnel sustained injuries during the confrontations, with several officers reported missing. While Faisal stated that over 100 arrests had been made, the TLP claims that around 700 of its supporters were detained.
The TLP gained prominence during Pakistan's 2018 elections, campaigning primarily on the issue of defending the country's blasphemy laws, which mandate the death penalty for insults against Islam. The party was outlawed in 2020 amidst violent demonstrations regarding caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad published in France, though the ban was lifted the following year.
The TLP's recent march attracted between 8,000 to 10,000 participants, prompting the establishment of a temporary camp on the outskirts of Lahore. In response to the demonstrations, authorities have blocked major routes to Islamabad using shipping containers and suspended mobile internet services in Islamabad and the nearby city of Rawalpindi for the second consecutive day, although the protesters are still hundreds of kilometers away. Schools, bus services, and intercity transport have also been halted.
Residents of Lahore, a city hosting over 14 million people, are experiencing significant disruptions, describing the atmosphere as one of siege. Local grocery store owner Zeeshan Khalid remarked that the sealing of small streets prevents people from reaching their workplaces, and ambulances are being turned away.
The clash between the TLP's supporters and law enforcement reflects ongoing tensions in Pakistan regarding the intersection of politics, religion, and public expression. As the situation develops, the city of Lahore remains on high alert, with authorities taking extensive measures to prevent further escalation.
