Police–TLP clashes cripple life across Lahore

Major roads in city blocked with containers and barbed wire, leaving residents stranded for hours

LAHORE:

Lahore was brought to a virtual standstill after police blocked all major entry and exit points to prevent Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan workers from advancing towards Islamabad as part of their announced “Al Aqsa March”.

The city’s main arteries, including Multan Road, Band Road, and Chauburji, were choked with containers, barbed wire, and heavy police deployment from the early morning, leaving residents stranded for hours on Friday.

Police and Rangers were in control of major intersections, compelling commuters to abandon vehicles or take long detours through narrow residential lanes.

Public transport, including intercity bus services, remained suspended, while several feeder routes of the Lahore Metro were shut down due to road obstructions.

TLP workers, gathering near the party’s headquarters in Chowk Yateem Khana, attempted to push through police blockades. Clashes quickly escalated as law-enforcement personnel resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the crowd.

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Protesters responded with stone-pelting and attempts to dismantle barricades. Witnesses reported scenes of chaos in surrounding neighbourhoods, where tear gas shells drifted through residential streets, forcing locals to remain indoors.

The TLP claimed three of its activists have been killed and dozens injured in what it called “state violence" starting late night on Wednesday. The party leadership vowed to continue marching “regardless of bullets or blockades”.

Police officials, however, rejected the allegations of lethal force and said officers were equipped only with anti-riot gear. The Punjab Police reported 13 law-enforcement personnel injured, including a Station House Officer (SHO), who was shifted to a nearby hospital.

The lockdown was not limited to Lahore. Across Punjab, including Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, and Faisalabad, police conducted pre-emptive raids and detained TLP workers said to be mobilising for the march. Section 144 was imposed across multiple districts, banning public gatherings and processions.

Read More: Islamabad, Rawalpindi in lockdown, entry points sealed ahead of TLP rally

Police sources confirmed that dozens of workers were taken into custody overnight to “prevent organised disruption”. GT Road and other main roads of various cities across Punjab were also shut for traffic using containers.

While the confrontation between police and protesters dominated the headlines, it was ordinary citizens who bore the brunt. Schools in several Lahore localities sent students home early, while private colleges postponed examinations citing “security risk”.

Markets along the protest routes remained closed, and traders reported significant financial losses due to the complete suspension of customer flow. Several ambulances were also delayed at blockades, prompting criticism from civil society about the indiscriminate sealing of civilian routes.

Residents of Samanabad, Chauburji, and adjoining areas reported difficulty returning home as police sealed inner streets and conducted identity checks. “It felt like a curfew without an official announcement,” said a local shopkeeper who closed his store by midday due to tear gas shelling nearby.

اسلام آباد، راولپنڈی، لاہور میں احتجاج کے باعث راستے بند۔۔۔ شہریوں کو شدید مشکلات کا سامنا#ExpressNews #BreakingNews #Islamabad #Rawalpindi #Lahore #Protest #LatestNews #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/2m34gx29Pe

— Express News (@ExpressNewsPK) October 10, 2025

Despite the escalation, there has been no formal announcement of negotiations between the TLP leadership and the provincial or federal government. Officials insist that any procession heading toward Islamabad without official permission will be “blocked and contained”.

Government spokespersons have accused the TLP of using the Gaza issue as a pretext to incite unrest, while the party maintains it is exercising its constitutional right to protest. For now, Lahore remains under an uneasy calm, with key roads still barricaded and protest calls continuing.

Residents, meanwhile, fear more days of uncertainty ahead. Whether the standoff leads to talks or further confrontation remains to be seen, but Friday’s events have made one thing clear — Punjab’s political scenes are once again in flux, and its largest city is caught in the middle.