ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday that the government would not allow any group to march on the federal capital after a religio-political party took out a rally to stage a protest outside the United States embassy in Islamabad to express solidarity with Palestine.
The call by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) prompted law enforcement authorities to raid the party headquarters in Lahore on Wednesday to prevent its leadership from following through on its plans. The raid led to clashes that left at least two people dead.
TLP is known for its street mobilization and agitational politics, often invoking blasphemy-related issues or religious grievances. Since its rise in 2017, the group has repeatedly staged mass sit-ins and marches to Islamabad, many of which have paralyzed the capital and key highways for days or weeks.
The protests have also turned violent in the past, resulting in clashes with police and major disruptions to daily life. Previous governments have struggled to disperse or dislodge the group’s supporters, often resorting to negotiations or temporary concessions instead of forceful crackdowns.
“No group will be allowed to march on Islamabad or any other city under any circumstances,” Naqvi said while reviewing security arrangements in Islamabad’s Faizabad area, according to a statement. “No one can be permitted to take the law into their own hands.”
Authorities in the federal capital have closed several key roads and suspended mobile phone services as a security precaution.
Shipping containers have been placed on major arteries in Islamabad to block protesters, while dozens of TLP supporters have reportedly been detained.
School administrations in Islamabad and the adjoining city of Rawalpindi sent students home early on Friday amid growing security concerns, according to a local school association.
Local media reported late Friday that party supporters had reached the Shahdara area on the outskirts of Lahore.
Addressing the media, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry warned on Friday evening that there was no longer any room in the country for mob politics and said no one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the state.
He said many of the protesters were carrying sticks, chemicals, and nails, adding that they were clearly prepared for confrontation.
“They have used these against the police and Rangers and injured over a dozen of them,” he added.
