Violence Erupts in Lahore as Anti-Israel Protest Turns Deadly
At least 4 people were killed, including 1 police officer, as clashes broke out between security personnel and members of the far-Right Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) during a protest against Israel over the war on Gaza.
The protest turned violent on one of Pakistan's busiest highways, the Grand Trunk Road, as TLP members marched from Lahore to the capital Islamabad, approximately 400 km away.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the TLP protest as an "insult to religion"
The clashes occurred while Pakistan PM Sharif was in Egypt attending the signing of the Trump-brokered Gaza peace plan.
- The TLP had called for the march ahead of US President Donald Trump's announcement last week of a ceasefire deal to end the Gaza war.
- The hardline TLP is known for its often violent street protests, which have troubled multiple Pakistani governments.
Author's summary: Violence erupts in Lahore during anti-Israel protest.