TLP protesters clashed with police on Friday, October 10, 2025, in Lahore during a pro-Palestine march to Islamabad. One supporter died from police firing. Dozens of officers suffered injuries. Authorities sealed routes with 500 containers. The group demands embassy protests against Israel. Tear gas dispersed crowds near party headquarters.
Such TLP protesters clash Islamabad October events expose fault lines in South Asia. Religious groups exploit global conflicts like Gaza to mobilise domestically. This strains Pakistan’s economy and diplomacy. Neighbours monitor for spillover into regional tensions.
TLP Pro-Palestine March Violence Lahore Turns Deadly
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) started its Gaza March from Lahore after Friday prayers on October 10. Around 2,000 supporters gathered near the party headquarters on Multan Road. They chanted against Israel and the US. The plan targeted the US embassy in Islamabad by Sunday.
Clashes erupted at Yateem Khana Chowk. Protesters threw stones at police barricades. Officers responded with tear gas and baton charges. Witnesses reported protesters seizing three police vehicles. Assailants held officers briefly and beat them. One TLP supporter succumbed to gunshot wounds, per party claims.
Multan Road became a battle zone. Crowds blocked the Orange Line metro track with bricks. They set fire to a road tax point at Azadi Chowk. Police pursued groups through Bhati Gate and Chauburji. Further skirmishes at Ravi Bridge injured more enforcers.
Dozens of police sustained wounds. Some required hospital treatment. Footage captured an officer with head injuries. Two superintendents moved to secure areas. TLP pro-Palestine march violence Lahore halted traffic for hours. Shops closed prematurely. Residents endured gridlock.
TLP spokesperson Usman Naushahi reported one death and 22 injuries among members. He blamed police excess. These numbers await confirmation from health officials.
Security Forces Fortify Against TLP Protesters Clash Islamabad October
Punjab invoked Section 144 province-wide from October 8. The ban lasts 10 days amid threats from outfits like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Rawalpindi mirrored the curbs until October 11.
Teams placed 500 containers on key paths. In Gujrat, trenches formed at three GT Road sites: Jhelum bridge near Sarai Alamgir, Chenab at Wazirabad, and Kharian town. Chenab and Jhelum bridges shut to traffic. Heavy lorries blocked Lalamusa and Sarai Alamgir accesses.
Islamabad deployed 7,000 troops: 5,500 police, 1,000 Frontier Corps, 500 Rangers. Armoured units patrolled Red Zone. Barricades rose at Faizabad Interchange and Serena Chowk. Metro and buses stopped on 21 routes from Thursday.
Mobile data suspended in Islamabad and Rawalpindi from October 9 midnight. The Interior Ministry tasked Pakistan Telecommunication Authority with enforcement. Peshawar motorway plaza closed. Punjab University shut on October 11. Exams by Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority deferred.
State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry spoke to reporters in Islamabad at 2:00 PM on October 10. He decried the unrest. “There is no space for groups to blackmail others, to use mobs, or to use violence to achieve their demands,” Chaudhry stated. He continued: “Peaceful protest within the democratic and constitutional framework is a constitutional right.” The minister revealed arrests of hundreds plotting violence. Provincial units handled detentions.
An FIR from Nawankot station accused TLP of assaults on police, gunfire, and vandalism. Anti-Terrorism Court approved 12-day remand for 110 activists, including Qari Umar Farooq. Capital police held 280 TLP affiliates on Thursday.
On October 9, Chaudhry addressed media outside Parliament House. He accused TLP of exploiting Gaza for chaos despite the recent Israel-Hamas ceasefire. “The supporters of Palestine are celebrating peace, while TLP causes disruption domestically,” he said. Chaudhry noted: “TLP intends to stage a march on the Gaza issue without obtaining prior permission from Islamabad’s administration.”
TLP’s Gaza Solidarity and Broader Demands
TLP named the event “Labbaik Ya Aqsa.” Chief Saad Rizvi addressed Friday prayers at the central mosque. He called for the march to proceed. Party accounts shared drone videos on X showing advances from Lahore.
The group seeks severed ties with Israel. It pushes protests at the US embassy. TLP links this to blasphemy defence and anti-West views. The 2021 marches involved similar violence. A blockade lasted weeks before a settlement.
This rally follows the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire. Critics question the motive. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq queried the timing. Parliamentary Secretary Asia Ishaq raised similar doubts.
The US embassy issued alerts. It urged citizens to shun gatherings in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar. Consulates warned of disruptions.
Pakistan sent aid to Gaza: food, medicines, essentials. Talal Chaudhry highlighted this on October 9. “Pakistan has sent humanitarian aid to Gaza,” he said. The government arranged education for Palestinian students.
Background
TLP formed in 2015. It enforces blasphemy laws strictly. The 2017 Faizabad sit-in boosted its profile. That led to a cabinet ouster. The 2021 French cartoon protests killed 12. Negotiations freed leaders. Saad Rizvi took over from Khadim Hussain Rizvi in 2020.
TLP runs in polls but thrives on streets. Ties to Punjab madrasas fuel its base. Probes target terror links, denied by the party. Economic strains add fuel. Inflation reached 12% in September 2025. Protests mix faith with hardship.
Past government-TLP pacts aided Palestinians. In July 2024, deals sent 1,000 tons of relief to Gaza. Schools and hospitals opened to victims. TLP backed those efforts.
What’s Next
Overnight, hundreds camped at Ravi Bridge. They await Rizvi’s directive. Resumption targets Gujranwala first. More trenches prepare if advances continue. Police pledge restrained response. Chaudhry cautioned against “mob blackmail.” TLP vows orderly progress. Naushahi called for calm.
Risks extend beyond borders. India flags potential cross-border stirs. SAARC forums observe quietly. De-escalation via talks could prevent siege. Yet TLP protesters clash Islamabad October lingers as a trigger. Sunday developments will decide.
The TLP protesters clash Islamabad October tests resolve. Stability demands balance between rights and order. Pakistan navigates with care.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, October 11th, 2025
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