Normalcy returns to Islamabad, Rawalpindi after TLP protest; Police confirm casualties, restore services
Normalcy returned to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Monday evening, with traffic flow restored after an early morning operation by law enforcement agencies against Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protesters who had camped at Muridke, reports 24brussels.
Only the Faizabad Interchange remained closed while the remaining intersections between Rawalpindi and Islamabad were opened for traffic. The situation appeared to stabilize, with minimal reaction from the TLP, even as overall traffic flow remained thin on major thoroughfares. Mobile data services, disrupted since the commencement of the protest, were also restored in most areas of the twin cities.
Earlier, authorities moved to close roads and motorways in and around Lahore and Islamabad following the operation, causing panic among citizens about the potential for escalating violence. Some schools in Islamabad closed early in response to the unrest. The TLP’s protest, which began on Friday in Lahore, aimed to reach Islamabad to stage a demonstration outside the US Embassy in support of Gaza and Palestine.
On Sunday, law enforcement agencies, including Pakistan Rangers and sizable contingents of police from five districts, surrounded the TLP protest camp in Muridke, preempting a large-scale operation. A senior police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that police action to disperse the protesters began at 3 AM and lasted for six hours. Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr. Usman Anwar confirmed that TLP chief Saad Rizvi had neither been arrested nor injured during the clashes.
Punjab police spokesperson Mubashir Hussain reported that one Station House Officer was killed during the confrontation, while three TLP workers died. Punjab police noted that 48 law enforcement personnel were injured, including 17 with bullet wounds, and eight civilians were also hurt in the violence. A civilian passerby was killed in the incident, with the injured officers receiving medical treatment.
As law enforcement attempted to disperse the TLP protesters, they faced attacks with stones, batons equipped with nails, and petrol bombs, which led police to initiate limited action in self-defense. Hussain accused the protesters of setting 40 vehicles ablaze and indicated that numerous arrests had been made, with authorities detaining TLP activists since the protest began.
The clashes led to injuries among police personnel, with Deputy Inspector General of Police Faisal Kamran reporting that 112 officers sustained injuries since the protest’s inception. Social media footage depicted burnt vehicles and smoke amid the confrontations.
Ongoing talks between the government and the TLP were reported on Sunday, although Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah denied any formal negotiations. He noted that the TLP presented no demands, merely seeking to march to Islamabad in front of a foreign embassy, which the government deemed unacceptable.
In Karachi, the TLP organized demonstrations against the police’s actions in Muridke, prompting Sindh Police to deploy tear gas and arrest five workers after clashes in North Karachi and New Karachi. Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar urged citizens to disregard rumors of chaos and instructed police to remain vigilant, emphasizing that violators would be dealt with per Section 144.
An anti-terrorism court remanded over 100 TLP activists for 11 days on charges of vandalism and assaulting police. Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari stated that the government has a duty to protect citizens and property, rejecting the disruption caused by the TLP’s actions.
The Lahore Bar Association announced a strike and boycotted court proceedings in response to alleged police violence against TLP workers. Concerns were raised regarding the treatment of “unarmed TLP leadership and protesters” during the clashes, with calls for legal accountability against those responsible.
Road closures persisted intermittently throughout the day. Reports indicated that while initial blockades around the Faizabad Interchange were removed, they were reimposed due to rising tensions. Authorities in Lahore closed various motorways connecting the city with Islamabad, Khanewal, and Sialkot, maintaining heightened security following the Muridke encounters.
