5 killed as police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters in Pakistan
What's the story
A violent clash between Pakistani authorities and pro-Palestinian protesters left five dead on Monday. According to Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar, demonstrators opened fire on authorities, killing an officer and injuring a dozen other officers. The protest was organized by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, which wants to express solidarity with Palestinians. However, authorities said they did not have permission to demonstrate in the capital. The march started in eastern Pakistan on Friday and aimed to reach Islamabad.
Leadership plea
TLP chief among those injured
It turned violent on Monday when demonstrators tried to remove shipping containers blocking roads in Lahore. TLP chief Saad Rizvi was among those injured in the clashes. He released a video before dawn on Monday, calling on security forces to stop firing and expressing his willingness to negotiate. The protesters were determined to hold a pro-Palestinian rally outside the US Embassy in Islamabad, but police came under fire while trying to disperse them, according to Anwar.
Twitter Post
Unverified video of clash
Unverified social media claims state that TLP chief #SaadRizvi has been killed; however, credible sources indicate he was shot multiple times during clashes in #Muridke amid pro-Palestinian protests and is in critical condition, not confirmed dead. pic.twitter.com/u8b5ni3wmr
— Zafar Bashir ظفر بشیر (@zafarbashir_) October 13, 2025
Arrest
Police have arrested more than 100 people
Since Friday, police have arrested more than 100 people, Kamran Faisal, the city's deputy inspector general for operations, told reporters. The TLP, however, said police arrested 700 of its supporters. The party's latest march attracted between 8,000 and 10,000 people, per AP. Authorities have already blocked major highways into Islamabad with shipping containers. They have also suspended mobile internet connectivity in the capital and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi. Schools, transit routes, and intercity transportation are closed.
Party history
TLP has held pro-Palestinian rallies in past
The TLP rose to prominence in Pakistan's 2018 elections by campaigning on a single issue: preserving the country's blasphemy legislation, which calls for the death sentence for anybody who insults Islam. Since then, the group has held violent protests, primarily to protest the desecration of Islam's holy book, the Quran, abroad.