Tehreek-e-Labaik protest turns Lahore into a no-go area

Security forces conduct flag march in Islamabad in wake of protests

LAHORE: Protests broke out at entry and exit points of the provincial capital of Punjab over botched negotiations between the government and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

The enraged TLP activists did not even spare Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) Chairman Allama Ashraf Asif Jalali, as while his vehicle was passing through the protest, it was stopped and pelted by stones. Later on, it was allowed to pass through. No one was hurt.

Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi-led TLP was staging a sit-in in front of Data Darbar since April 2 for the implementation of its six-point agenda in which the Pakistan Army had acted as a broker.

The protest erupted just before Maghrib prayers, which created panic and disrupted routine life in Lahore, as supporters took to the streets chanting slogans and wielding sticks and clubs against the government.



Earlier, the TLP chief had set April 12 as the deadline for acceptance of the party’s demands, warning that failure would result in a countrywide protest.

Earlier in the day, Pir Afzal Qadri had directed activists to take to the streets until their demands were met.

According to a TLP spokesman, all previous meetings and negotiations with the government had failed. The top leadership called for sit-ins and protests all across Lahore.

Punjab government spokesman Malik Ahmed Khan did not comment on the situation despite repeated attempts to get in contact with him.

The TLP protest was still under way till the filing of this report.