Violent clashes broke out in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Friday after police tried to stop thousands of Islamist protesters from marching to the capital, Islamabad, to stage a pro-Palestinian rally outside the U.S. Embassy, officials said.
The confrontation, which began Thursday, escalated when police baton-charged and fired tear gas at members of the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party. Protesters hurled stones in response, while TLP claimed two of its supporters were killed and 50 others injured.
Addressing worshippers, TLP chief Saad Rizvi vowed to lead the march himself, declaring, “Arrest is not a problem, bullets are not a problem — martyrdom is our destiny.”
Authorities closed schools and universities across Lahore and suspended mobile internet in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to prevent the rally. Roads to the capital were blocked with shipping containers, causing severe disruptions.
The unrest followed a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, as Pakistan’s government struggled to contain the growing demonstrations.