Police file terrorism case against TLP after deadly Muridke clashes
Police personnel patrol a street following crackdown on TLP activists during an anti-Israel protest in Muridke on October 13. Photo : AFP
Chaos gripped Muridke on Monday following violent clashes between Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan supporters and police as conflicting reports emerged over the whereabouts and condition of TLP chief Saad Rizvi.
Police have registered a terrorism case against leaders and workers of TLP following violent clashes in Muridke that left a police officer dead and several vehicles damaged.
According to a First Information Report (FIR) filed at the Muridke City Police Station, TLP activists allegedly attacked a police party during protests, resisted official duty, and engaged in widespread rioting.
The case has been registered under multiple serious charges, including Sections 6 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, as well as Sections 302 (murder), 435 (mischief by fire), and 431 (damage to public infrastructure) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Police said the protesters “martyred the SHO of the Factory Area Police Station” and set fire to government and private vehicles. They also allegedly spread chaos and carried out “anti-state activities” during the protest.
The FIR, lodged by Sub-Inspector Muhammad Saleem Tahir, accuses TLP workers of using violence to obstruct law enforcement and create panic in the area. “Armed protesters attacked the police with sticks, stones, and firearms,” the report stated, adding that weapons and ammunition were later recovered from the scene.
Law enforcement agencies have tightened security across Muridke as tensions remain high following the deadly confrontation. Additional police contingents have been deployed, and raids are reportedly underway to arrest those involved in the violence.
Authorities said that investigations are ongoing and further arrests are expected in the coming days.
Earlier, TLP supporters claimed Rizvi was taken away on a motorbike after being injured during the confrontation. The reporter said the area was later washed and cleared by authorities, while the bodies of deceased TLP workers were reportedly moved from the scene in containers.
Eyewitnesses reported that several TLP supporters fled into nearby streets during the clashes, with protesters falling to their deaths while escaping. The clashes left widespread destruction in Muridke, with parts of the vegetable market torched and nearly a dozen vehicles burned.
Qadeer, the in-charge of THQ Hospital Muridke, told journalists that around 150 injured individuals were brought to the facility on Monday, all suffering from gunshot wounds to various parts of their bodies. He said the injured included both TLP workers and civilians. Except for nineteen patients, all were referred to Lahore.
TLP party activists run as they escape police personnel during an anti-Israel protest in Muridke on October 13. Photo: AFP
The nineteen critically wounded were later shifted to Lahore’s Mayo Hospital once their condition stabilised. The hospital spokesperson added that the police did not hand over the body of any deceased person to the hospital.
Despite widespread speculation, no official source, including the police or TLP representatives, has confirmed Rizvi’s current location or condition. During the day, countrywide protests erupted after TLP claimed he was shot and injured.
The announcement triggered immediate demonstrations across major cities, with protesters blocking key routes and burning tires. Educational institutions, including schools and universities, have been closed indefinitely due to security concerns as the protest situation continues to escalate.
After a day of heightened tension, life in Sheikhupura and Muridke has begun returning to normal. With the end of the TLP sit-ins, activity has resumed in Sheikhupura’s Bathi Chowk and Muridke’s Food Street, while highways connecting Sheikhupura to other cities have also reopened for traffic.
Who is Saad Rizvi?
Saad Rizvi is the son of the late Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the founding leader of TLP. He is 31 years old. He took over the party in 2020 after his father’s death. He is responsible for educating the TLP supporters on how to use social media to amplify their cause.
The TLP’s main agenda has been to target Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code concerning the country's blasphemy laws. The party was formally proscribed or banned in 2021.
Saad was detained for seven months for violence in 2021. A deal between the TLP and the government was struck, leading to the release of over 200 TLP workers.
The party has repeatedly organised street protests across Pakistan. Saad stood for the elections in 2024 but lost to a PTI candidate in Attock.
Muridke operation
At least four people, including police and civilians, were killed and 56 others injured during violent clashes in Muridke amid the TLP long march. Factory Area Station House Officer (SHO) Shehzad Nawaz was martyred after being shot by protesters.
پنجاب پولیس کا ایک اور بہادر جوان فرض کی راہ پر قربان..
ایس ایچ او فیکٹری ایریا شیخوپورہ شہزاد نواز نے امن و امان کے قیام، شہریوں کی جان و مال کی حفاظت کے دوران، ملک کی خاطر جان کا نذرانہ پیش کر دیا، مسلح جتھوں کی فائرنگ سے جام شہادت نوش کر گئے۔ آئی جی پنجاب ڈاکٹر عثمان انور کا… pic.twitter.com/m1TeJ3yDpFAccording to Express News, police and Rangers launched an operation to disperse TLP supporters after violence erupted during the march. Protesters reportedly hurled stones, used spiked sticks and petrol bombs, and later opened indiscriminate fire, causing casualties among law enforcement personnel and civilians.
Security forces carried out a limited counter-operation in self-defence, dispersing the crowd and regaining full control of the Grand Trunk (GT) Road.
At least 48 police and Rangers personnel were injured, 17 of them by gunfire, while three TLP supporters and one passerby were killed. Eight other civilians were also wounded.
Police personnel patrol a street following crackdown on TLP activists during an anti-Israel protest in Muridke on October 13. Photo: AFP
Officials said protesters set fire to around 40 government and private vehicles during the clashes. Several individuals were taken into custody, and the injured, along with those affected by tear gas, were shifted to nearby hospitals.
Authorities temporarily restricted public movement along the GT Road, while police took custody of the martyred officer’s body and the injured personnel.
Karachi
Supporters of TLP staged protests at multiple locations across Karachi, disrupting traffic and causing inconvenience to commuters.
TLP workers gathered at Nala Stop and North Karachi’s 4K Chowrangi, where they blocked roads and pelted stones, damaging several vehicles.
The demonstrations brought traffic to a standstill, leaving motorists stranded for hours. Police were deployed to the affected areas to restore order and disperse the protesters.
Lahore
TLP-affiliated lawyers staged a protest outside Aiwan-e-Adl (Hall of Justice) against the Muridke police operation, blocking traffic from the Civil Secretariat to PMG Chowk and chanting anti-government slogans.
According to reports, some lawyers assaulted police personnel outside Aiwan-e-Adl, hurling insults and slapping officers on sight. The Lahore Bar Association announced a strike in lower courts, urging lawyers not to appear in court after 11 a.m. in protest.
The bar demanded the immediate release of arrested TLP workers, medical treatment for the injured, and legal action against those responsible for opening fire on protesters. The statement strongly condemned the Muridke operation.
Police personnel patrol a street following crackdown on TLP party activists during an anti-Israel protest in Muridke on October 13. Photo : AFP
The protest led to major road and motorway closures, causing severe inconvenience to travellers. Large numbers of passengers turned to the railway for travel between Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, and other cities, resulting in overcrowded trains.
Passengers — including elderly individuals, women, and children — were forced to travel standing with their luggage. Railway authorities said additional coaches were added to manage the rush, but overcrowding persisted.
Rawalpindi
All public and private educational institutions in Rawalpindi reopened after a three-day closure. Attendance was reported as normal under tight security. The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education resumed supplementary matriculation exams as scheduled.
Traffic across Rawalpindi remained normal, though diversions were placed near Faizabad Interchange. Traffic flow on Murree Road, Mall Road, and Peshawar Road continued smoothly, and all entry and exit routes to the city remained open.
Islamabad
Road closures disrupted court proceedings as most lawyers failed to appear at the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Cases scheduled for hearing were adjourned without proceedings.
The division bench comprising Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan had its cause list cancelled. The IHC Bar Association issued a statement noting that road closures had blocked all entry routes to the capital, making it difficult for lawyers to reach court.
The association appealed to judges not to pass adverse orders in cases where lawyers were unable to appear. The statement was issued by Acting Secretary Imran Ashfaq.
Following the operation against TLP’s long march, security has been tightened once again across Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Police have been placed on high alert, with personnel deployed at key intersections and checkpoints.
While major roads, including Murree Road, remain open for traffic, Shamsabad and Faizabad points are still closed. Universities have also announced sudden holidays, cancelling evening sessions, leaving parents and students facing difficulties.