ISLAMABAD: Roads in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other cities have reopened after Punjab police dispersed a protest by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) that had brought the area to a standstill and turned violent.
Following the dispersal, the TLP leadership announced that it would call off its planned march to Islamabad and urged its supporters and workers to gather at a shrine in Lahore on the coming Friday.
Meanwhile, authorities registered a case against TLP leaders and workers, including Amir Saad Rizvi, under 32 charges encompassing murder, attempted murder, abduction, robbery, and interference in government affairs. Other leaders named in the case include Ans Rizvi, Allama Farooq-ul-Hasan, Maulana Sajjad, and Mufti Wazir Ali.
Police said the unrest erupted when officers attempted to disperse the sit-in, prompting protesters to pelt stones, throw petrol bombs, and open fire, which resulted in the death of a station house officer (SHO) and injuries to 48 police personnel.
Authorities added that three TLP workers and one civilian were also killed during the clashes, while eight others sustained injuries. Approximately 40 government and private vehicles were set on fire, and multiple arrests have been made. Police continue conducting search operations to ensure law and order.
Officials stressed that protesters had been urged to end the sit-in peacefully, but the demonstration escalated into violent clashes, causing significant casualties and property damage.
