Pakistan bans rallies in twin cities to block TLP’s planned march

Pakistan’s government has imposed emergency restrictions in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to block a major protest march planned by the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

The “Labbaik Ya Aqsa Million March” is scheduled for Friday, October 10. Authorities fear violence after clashes between TLP supporters and police in Lahore left three people dead and dozens injured last night, the group said.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said dozens of TLP workers had been arrested and batons and glass marbles recovered from them. He accused the group of planning to incite chaos.

“When Hamas and the Palestinian people have accepted the 20-point peace agreement, why would any political or religious group in Pakistan want to disrupt peace by holding protests?” Chaudhry told reporters in Islamabad.

He stated that TLP had not requested permission to protest, nor had any approval been granted.

Section 144 imposed

Authorities in both cities imposed Section 144, which bans public gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, and the use of loudspeakers.

In Rawalpindi, the order remains in effect until October 11. Officials cited the risk of unrest near sensitive government and military sites.

Containers have been placed at key entry points into Islamabad. The capital’s Red Zone, home to parliament, government offices, and foreign embassies, has been sealed off. Only people with special passes will be allowed to enter through Margalla Road.

The Metro Bus service linking the twin cities has also been suspended.

Police warnings

In Rawalpindi, senior officers held a law-and-order meeting chaired by CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani. He said no one would be allowed to block roads or disrupt traffic.

“Any violent activity under the guise of protest will not be tolerated,” Hamdani said. “Those who disturb public order or violate the law will be dealt with strictly.”

He said police were fully prepared to respond to any situation and warned that attacks on citizens, public property, or law enforcement would not be tolerated.

TLP vows to march

TLP chief Saad Rizvi said the group plans to march from Faisalabad to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Friday. He accused the government of supporting a Gaza peace plan and preparing to sign the Abraham Accords to normalize ties with Israel.

The group shared videos of bloodied supporters being treated for injuries after clashes in Lahore, claiming police fired live ammunition. Police have not yet issued a statement.

A powerful street force

Founded in 2015 by the late cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, TLP follows the Barelvi Sunni school of thought and rose to prominence by defending Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws.

Under Rizvi’s son and successor Saad, the group has staged mass protests that often paralyze major cities.

TLP has clashed with governments repeatedly, from a 2017 Islamabad sit-in that toppled a minister, to 2018 protests after a Christian woman accused of blasphemy was acquitted, to violent 2021 demonstrations over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The group has also been linked to mob attacks on religious minorities, including the 2023 burning of 21 churches in Punjab’s Jaranwala town.

TLP has not officially responded to the new restrictions, but with its march still scheduled for Friday, tensions remain high in Pakistan’s twin cities.