Saturday, March 29, 2025
Islamabad, October 10, 2025 — Pakistan is once again on edge as the government suspended mobile and internet services in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Friday to prevent unrest. The move comes ahead of a mass rally called by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a hardline Islamist party, which has urged supporters to join the “Labbaik Ya Aqsa Million March” against Israel.
Security forces have sealed all entry and exit points to the capital, and heavy contingents of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed. The government fears the march could spiral into violent confrontations, particularly around sensitive areas, including the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, where TLP has threatened to stage a protest.
On Thursday, violent clashes broke out in Lahore after Punjab police launched a raid on the TLP headquarters at Yateem Khana in an attempt to arrest the group’s chief, Saad Hussain Rizvi. Police officials said the raid was conducted to execute an arrest warrant, but officers were met with resistance.
“TLP workers attacked the police with stones and iron rods,” one officer confirmed, adding that five police constables and several TLP activists were injured in the clashes that stretched for hours.
TLP, however, claimed that one of its members was killed and at least 20 others injured in the violence, accusing the authorities of using brutal tactics to suppress peaceful demonstrators.
A senior police official told reporters that Rizvi has so far evaded arrest, but security around the group’s headquarters remains tight. “A large number of police personnel have been stationed near the TLP office, and the situation remains tense,” he said.
In a statement, a TLP spokesperson accused the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, of attempting to crush their movement. “The government is using shameful methods to stop our peaceful march. The violence against unarmed TLP workers must end immediately,” the spokesperson said, warning that more arrests and bloodshed could escalate tensions nationwide.
TLP has long been a source of unrest in Pakistan, often mobilizing mass protests over religious issues. This latest demonstration is being linked to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, with the group insisting that Pakistan must show stronger solidarity with Palestinians.
“Our people are being oppressed in Gaza by Zionists, and here in Pakistan, their supporters are oppressing us too,” the spokesperson said. “Expressing solidarity with Palestine has been turned into a crime in our own country.”
Analysts warn that if tensions are not defused quickly, the TLP-led march could spark large-scale unrest across Punjab and potentially reach the capital, putting the government under severe pressure.
