Lahore/Islamabad, October 9, 2025: Violence broke out in Lahore late Wednesday night after police launched a crackdown on the headquarters of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in an operation aimed at arresting the party’s chief, Saad Rizvi. The move came just two days before the group’s planned anti-Israel protest outside the US Embassy in Islamabad.
According to officials, at least three police constables were injured in fierce clashes with TLP workers who pelted law enforcement personnel with stones and attacked them with iron rods. Police responded with baton charges and tear gas shelling, turning Lahore’s Multan Road and adjoining localities into a battleground.
Videos circulating on social media showed TLP activists running for cover as police fired tear gas shells. Other clips appeared to show protesters displaying spent bullet casings and shell fragments, accusing police of excessive force.
Police said the late-night operation targeted the party’s central office after intelligence reports suggested a large number of TLP activists had gathered in Lahore ahead of the planned march toward Islamabad. Many had reportedly set up temporary camps near the party’s headquarters.
“When police attempted to detain key figures and disperse the crowd, the situation quickly escalated,” a police source told reporters, adding that several TLP members were taken into custody.
The TLP, in a statement issued early Thursday, condemned the “brutal raids” and claimed that dozens of its workers had been arrested from various parts of Lahore. It warned the government against what it called “state repression” and vowed to proceed with the planned demonstration in Islamabad.
Security in Islamabad was placed on high alert on Thursday, with police, Rangers, and Frontier Constabulary personnel deployed across the federal capital to prevent any potential violence. The city’s administration began sealing key entry points with shipping containers and barricades, particularly around the Faizabad Interchange, Blue Area, Constitution Avenue, and the Diplomatic Enclave where the US Embassy is located.
A senior Islamabad police officer told reporters that the Red Zone had been declared a “no-go area” for protesters, and all roads leading to the Diplomatic Enclave were being monitored through drones and surveillance cameras.
“Strict checking is under way at all entry and exit points of the capital, while heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies remain on standby,” the officer said. “We will not allow anyone to disturb peace or target sensitive installations.”
Authorities have also placed shipping containers near Rawat, Tarnol, and Bhara Kahu to block potential routes from Punjab into Islamabad if necessary. Police patrols have been intensified on Srinagar Highway, IJP Road, and Murree Road — traditional routes used by protesters during previous TLP marches.
In Rawalpindi, City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani chaired an emergency meeting on Thursday to review law and order arrangements and direct officers to remain on high alert.
“No person is allowed to take the law into their hands under any circumstances,” the CPO said in an official statement. “Blocking any road, traffic, or disrupting normal life will not be tolerated.”
He warned that “violent activity under the guise of protests” would be dealt with strictly, adding that police were fully prepared to respond to any law-and-order challenge. Senior officers, including SSP (Operations), SSP (Investigation), divisional SPs, and sub-divisional police officers attended the meeting.
Authorities have directed hotel and hostel managements along Murree Road and adjoining areas to evacuate non-essential guests, allowing only foreigners and medical patients to stay temporarily. Emergency response units and hospitals in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been placed on alert.
Traffic police have issued advisories warning commuters to avoid routes leading to Faizabad, Blue Area, and Constitution Avenue over the weekend.
By Thursday afternoon, clashes in Lahore had largely subsided, though police remained deployed in large numbers around the TLP headquarters. Tensions, however, persisted in both Punjab’s capital and the twin cities, where security forces continued to brace for the group’s planned protest on Friday.
