Violent Anti-Israel Protests Undermine Pakistan’s Diplomatic Success
Internal security threat analyst Israr Ahmed Rajput says the TLP terror group planned the protests to erode the government’s hard-won diplomatic credibility
[Islamabad] Pakistan has been plunged into a state of severe internal disruption amid a massive protest march against Israel.
On Monday, law enforcement agencies forcefully dispersed a rally organized by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). This hard-line religiopolitical party had launched the march from Lahore to the US Embassy in Islamabad.
The operation involved the Punjab Police and Islamabad Police’s anti-riot units, with additional support from the Rangers.
According to the Punjab Police, one station house officer was killed and 48 personnel were injured during the operation. Among the injured, 17 officers sustained gunshot wounds.
Police said that three protesters affiliated with the TLP and one passerby were also killed, while eight civilians were injured.
Police added that around 40 government and private vehicles were set on fire during the clashes.
Local police officials stated that the operation to disperse the protesters began after negotiations failed.
Meanwhile, according to various TLP social media accounts, dozens of their workers were killed and hundreds were injured in police firing. At the same time, the party’s leaders were reportedly arrested and taken to an undisclosed location.
The Media Line has been unable to verify these claims or the reported casualty count independently.
The protest rally brought large parts of the country, including the major city of Lahore, to a standstill, with the federal capital, Islamabad, effectively sealed off.
Earlier, on Friday, the volatile situation—marked by violent clashes between TLP members and police that left multiple people injured and at least two protesters dead—raised critical questions about the timing and motives of the TLP’s protest against the US and Israel.
The chaotic march, which the TLP dubbed the “Labbaik Aqsa Million March” was planned to culminate outside the US Embassy in Islamabad’s high-security Red Zone. It coincides, ironically, with a significant regional truce and a newly agreed-upon framework for a Gaza peace agreement—a deal brokered with substantial diplomatic assistance from Pakistan itself.
The US Embassy in Islamabad and the US consulates general in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar issued warnings on Oct. 10, 2025, amid nationwide protests against Israel, advising US citizens to avoid large gatherings and remain vigilant.
The US Embassy in Islamabad, in a cautionary note posted on its X account early Friday morning, stated: “These protests may cause traffic delays/detours due to closed or blocked roads in the vicinity of the demonstrations. The duration of the protests is unknown.”
The federal capital has been sealed, with containers placed at entry and exit points and anti-riot forces deployed around the Red Zone. Heavy traffic has been barred from entering Islamabad until further notice.
Authorities have imposed Section 144 across Punjab, effective until Oct. 17, banning public gatherings and the display of weapons. Lahore’s Orange Line Metro Train service and the Lahore–Islamabad Motorway have also been closed.
Officials said the measures aim to maintain law and order amid heightened terrorism threats reported by intelligence agencies.
Founded in 2015 by the firebrand, now-deceased cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, TLP gained prominence after leading violent protests in 2017 and again in 2021, demanding the expulsion of the French ambassador over blasphemous caricatures published in France.
The 2021 Islamabad protest turned deadly as TLP supporters clashed with police, resulting in casualties on both sides and widespread disruption in the capital.
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The group was briefly banned under anti-terrorism laws, but the ban was later lifted following negotiations with the government.
Since then, TLP has maintained a pattern of organizing large-scale demonstrations, often disrupting public life to pressure authorities on religious and political issues.
Allama Saad Rizvi, TLP chief and son of founder Khadim Hussain Rizvi, delivered a fiery Friday sermon in Lahore.
He said, “For you, embassies may be sacred, but for us, al-Quds is holier. We value al-Quds (Jerusalem) above wealth, blood—even our children.”
Pointing to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rizvi said, “Which hand did you shake with Trump that you now silence anyone who speaks for Palestine in Pakistan? There are still young Muslims ready to make the ultimate sacrifice.”
Talal Chaudhry, the Minister of State for Interior, told The Media Line that “incitement in the name of religion would not be tolerated.”
Chaudhry said, “The people of Palestine needed peace, not rhetoric — they needed their homeland and their land restored. These so-called protests, statements, and attempts to give them a religious or political color are unnecessary.”
He underlined that “the 20-point peace agreement, accepted by Palestine including Hamas, represents a major achievement for the entire Muslim ummah — yet those protesting today refuse to accept peace.”
The most perplexing element of the TLP’s agitation is its timing. The Gaza-Israel conflict that began in October 2023 had been ongoing for nearly two years, marked by intense hostilities and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Yet, according to public reports, the TLP was largely dormant on the issue during this time.
The violent protests have erupted immediately following a significant diplomatic breakthrough in the Gaza-Israel war.
This recent peace agreement, spearheaded by US President Donald Trump and brokered with the involvement of a coalition of influential Muslim-majority nations—including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey—has been widely welcomed as a major step toward ending the bloodshed.
Sharif, along with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, played a key role in this diplomatic effort, engaging in high-level meetings with the US president and other senior US officials.
Analysts suggest the sudden, forceful action by the TLP is less about the state of the conflict itself and more about exploiting the sensitive peace process for domestic political leverage.
By invoking anti-US and anti-Israel slogans, TLP seeks to rally emotional support among conservative sections of society
Umair Aslam, an Islamabad-based security analyst and founder of Global Defense Insight, a publication focused on defense, security and strategic affairs, told The Media Line that “by invoking anti-US and anti-Israel slogans, TLP seeks to rally emotional support among conservative sections of society.”
However, he noted, “The fact that no other Muslim-majority country is witnessing similar demonstrations underscores that this is a localized political maneuver rather than a broader religious movement.”
Aslam stressed that “certain groups, including TLP, often capitalize on external issues to regain political visibility and street power at home, especially during periods of relative political calm.”
He added that with Pakistan’s diplomatic and military leadership gaining international recognition for mediating the Gaza peace process, these protests may reflect attempts to undermine or distract from those achievements.
Aslam cautioned that such incidents risk sending the wrong message internationally at a time when Pakistan’s credibility has grown through its constructive diplomacy — particularly the Pakistan–Saudi defense cooperation and its role in stabilizing the Gaza ceasefire framework.
TLP is notorious for its ability to mobilize and rapidly paralyze the country— a tactic it has repeatedly used to pressure the government on religious issues
In conclusion, Aslam emphasized that these protests appear less about Gaza and more about domestic political optics, illustrating how religious rhetoric continues to shape Pakistan’s internal power dynamics.
Israr Ahmed Rajput, an internal security and threat analyst, told The Media Line that “TLP is notorious for its ability to mobilize and rapidly paralyze the country— a tactic it has repeatedly used to pressure the government on religious issues.”
Rajput underlined that the group’s focus on the US Embassy and anti-Israel rhetoric directly challenges the government’s foreign policy gains, including its defense pact with Saudi Arabia and active role in Gaza peace talks.
He added that by violently disrupting daily life and confronting state authority, the TLP seeks to erode the government’s hard-won diplomatic credibility.
Brig. Gen. (ret.) R.A. Malik, a leading security and defense analyst, told The Media Line that “Pakistan’s role in the Gaza peace process marked a major diplomatic victory, positioning the country as a responsible and influential player in the Muslim world and a key partner in resolving a global flashpoint.”
He emphasized that “violent, state-paralyzing protests immediately following this achievement risk sending the wrong message.”
While pro-Palestinian sentiment runs deep across the Muslim world, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE — all actively involved in peace efforts — are not witnessing similar unrest
Malik noted that “while pro-Palestinian sentiment runs deep across the Muslim world, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE — all actively involved in peace efforts — are not witnessing similar unrest.”
He said those who were directly involved — the Palestinians who endured immense suffering, made sacrifices and fought for their homeland — have accepted the truce and are hopeful for peace.
Malik further emphasized that, despite this, the TLP continues to agitate, stirring unrest in the name of a cause whose rightful owners now seek stability and an end to bloodshed.
Malik warned that while the people of Gaza move toward reconciliation, such actions in Pakistan only inflame emotions and jeopardize internal peace.
He emphasized that “such non-state actors must be dealt with an iron hand, as they exploit the emotions of innocent followers in the name of Islam and sensitive issues like the Palestinian cause.”
Pakistan and Israel have no formal diplomatic relations, as Islamabad has long refused to recognize Israel until a viable and independent Palestinian state is established. The Pakistani passport explicitly states it is “valid for all countries except Israel.”
Despite this, limited back-channel contacts have occurred over the years, mainly through third parties or international forums.
In the backdrop of the recent Gaza peace pact, Pakistan reiterated its consistent support for peace initiatives in the Middle East while maintaining its firm pro-Palestinian stance and unwavering commitment to a two-state solution.
