By Staff reporter
MURIDKE: Supporters of the hardline religious party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) pushed toward the federal capital on Saturday afternoon, aiming to stage a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians, even as clashes with police in Lahore left dozens injured and authorities sealed off roads and disrupted mobile networks in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The confrontations erupted earlier in the day in Lahore’s Shahdara area, where at least 40 police personnel were hurt, according to officials. The TLP claimed that more than 10 of its workers had been killed in the skirmishes with law enforcers, though those assertions could not be independently verified. The protests, which began in Lahore on Thursday, initially sought to reach the United States Embassy in Islamabad to oppose a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after two years of conflict in Gaza.
Violence escalated on Friday, with police using batons and tear gas against demonstrators who threw rocks, witnesses said. By Saturday, the unrest had spilled into broader disruptions across the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where residents grappled with road closures, severe traffic congestion and intermittent mobile service outages for a second straight day.
“No group will be allowed to march on Islamabad or any other city under any circumstances,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said as he reviewed security arrangements in Islamabad’s Faizabad area on Friday night. “No one can be permitted to take the law into their own hands.”
Authorities positioned shipping containers as barricades on major thoroughfares in the capital, bracing for the protesters’ arrival. A notification from the Islamabad Traffic Police stated that “entry of all types of heavy vehicles into the capital will remain suspended until further notice.” “Traffic diversions are being implemented due to the law and order situation in Islamabad’s Faizabad area, and commuters are advised to use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience,” it added.
In Rawalpindi, key intersections like Committee Chowk, Liaquat Bagh Turn, DAV College Chowk, MH Chowk and Naz Cinema were closed, according to the traffic police notification. In the Saddar area, Haider Road, Suzuki Stand and Murree Chowk were also blocked, with access to Kachehri Chowk inaccessible. Partial traffic resumed at Sawan Bridge and New Gulzar-e-Quaid, but major interchanges including Chakri, Thalian, Brahma and Mandara remained shut, cutting off Rawalpindi from highways.
Rural entry points such as Dholtala Mor, Misa Kaswal, Bai Khan Bridge and G T Road near Gujar Khan were similarly sealed. Motorway authorities reported that M-1 was open only toward Peshawar, while M-2 was closed in both Rawalpindi and Lahore directions. The toll from earlier clashes included 50 police officers injured on Friday, a senior police official told local media.
TLP leaders framed the march as an expression of support for Palestinians, shifting from initial opposition to the ceasefire, which Pakistan has endorsed. “We have no demands, apart from showing solidarity with the people of Gaza,” Allama Muhammad Irfan, a senior TLP member, told Agence France-Presse as the group departed for Islamabad. “We have no idea when we will reach Islamabad, but the government is being brutal with us,” he said. “We are not negotiating with the government at all.”
The party is known for street mobilization and agitational politics, often invoking blasphemy-related issues or religious grievances. Since its rise in 2017, the group has repeatedly staged mass sit-ins and marches to Islamabad, many of which have paralyzed the capital and key highways for days.
Educational institutions remained closed and authorities suspended the Metro bus service in the twin cities, while residents said they faced difficulties due to the suspension of mobile Internet service.
The government has taken a firm stance against allowing the protesters into the capital. Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry declared on Thursday that “there is no room for any radical activity in Islamabad.” “Why is an agreement that is acceptable to Hamas and Palestine not acceptable to you?” he told reporters. The ceasefire took effect around noon on Friday, with Israel withdrawing troops as tens of thousands of Palestinians returned to their damaged homes in Gaza.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised it on Thursday as a “historic opportunity to secure lasting peace.” “We will continue to work with partners, friends and the leaders of brotherly nations to ensure that peace, security and dignity for the Palestinian people are established,” he said.
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