5 Killed in Islamabad During TLP Protests Against President Trump’s Gaza Ceasefire Plan
At least five people were killed and dozens wounded Monday when Pakistani security forces clashed with thousands of anti-Israel protesters in Islamabad, according to police reports. The violence erupted during a march organized by the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which had called for nationwide protests following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire to end the Gaza war.
Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar told reporters that demonstrators opened fire on officers, killing one policeman and injuring several others. Three protesters and a passerby were also reported dead before authorities managed to disperse the crowd. The protesters had planned to rally outside the US Embassy in the capital, he said.
The TLP claimed that hundreds of its supporters were injured in the confrontation, including its leader, Saad Rizvi. The group began its march from eastern Pakistan on Friday, moving through major cities toward Islamabad. Police said more than 100 participants were arrested during earlier demonstrations over the weekend as tensions grew.
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Pakistan’s Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry questioned the timing of the unrest, saying he could not understand why the group chose violence “instead of celebrating the Gaza ceasefire.”
TLP, which first gained prominence in the 2018 general elections, is known for organizing massive and often violent protests in defense of Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws. The group has long been a source of friction for successive governments, combining populist street power with an uncompromising Islamist agenda.
Monday’s clashes marked one of the deadliest confrontations in months, highlighting both Pakistan’s volatile domestic politics and the enduring emotional resonance of the Gaza conflict among its Islamist movements.
