5 Killed In Police Firing As Clashes Erupt At TLP Rally In Pakistan’s Muridke
Violent clashes erupted in Muridke, Pakistan, overnight as police launched a massive crackdown on a protest march by the hardline Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), leaving at least five people dead, including a police officer, and scores injured. Security forces opened fire and used tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters who were attempting to march from Lahore to Islamabad as part of an anti-government and pro-Gaza campaign.According to Punjab Police, at least three protesters were killed when police fired on the crowd.
However, the force claimed its personnel acted after TLP activists resorted to stone-pelting, used spiked batons, petrol bombs, and engaged in “indiscriminate firing,” which resulted in the death of one officer. Eyewitness accounts and local media reports suggest the actual death toll could be significantly higher. Protesters have also accused the Pakistan Rangers of using sophisticated weapons against them.The crackdown in Muridke is the latest flashpoint in days of escalating tensions. The TLP march, led by party chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, began on October 9 over Israeli actions in Gaza but has since morphed into a broader anti-government movement.
Last week, clashes in Lahore saw police try to block the procession, with the TLP claiming that 11 of its members were killed.Despite extensive blockades, including large trenches dug by authorities to block access routes, the TLP has shown no signs of backing down. Rizvi has remained defiant, reportedly telling his followers, “Arrest is not a problem, bullets are not a problem, shells are not a problem – martyrdom is our destiny.”
The government, however, has accused the group of exploiting the Gaza crisis for “political gain.” Pakistani Minister Talal Chaudhry reaffirmed that violence and coercion would not be tolerated. Authorities have detained around 170 people linked to the TLP as part of the crackdown.
