October 13, 2025
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
A police operation in Muridke town, District Sheikhupura, against the hardline organization Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) resulted in five fatalities, according to Punjab Police, including a Station House Officer, while several police officers as well as those protesting, were injured.
According to the Punjab police, TLP protesters in Muridke, who had been camped on the main road, had been dispersed after the operation but and the operation had left 5 people dead including Inspector Shafique, the SHO of Sheikhupura Factory Area Police Station. Apart from him, 43 police personnel were declared injured, with 17 receiving bullet wounds. There were also three TLP activists and a passer-by who was killed in the operation.
The incident unfolded early Monday morning, at around 3 or 4 am, lasting a total of six hours. The Punjab Police cracked down upon the camped TLP protesters, who had been there since after they had been stopped from entering Islamabad to carry forward a protest march in support of Gaza and Palestine, and head towards the US Embassy in Islamabad for a sit-in. They dispersed only after the operation during which there had been cross firing and tear gas shelling.
پنجاب پولیس کا ایک اور بہادر جوان فرض کی راہ پر قربان..
ایس ایچ او فیکٹری ایریا شیخوپورہ شہزاد نواز نے امن و امان کے قیام، شہریوں کی جان و مال کی حفاظت کے دوران، ملک کی خاطر جان کا نذرانہ پیش کر دیا، مسلح جتھوں کی فائرنگ سے جام شہادت نوش کر گئے۔ آئی جی پنجاب ڈاکٹر عثمان انور کا… pic.twitter.com/m1TeJ3yDpF
— Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) October 13, 2025
On their X account the Punjab police posted about an SHO’s martyrdom in “firing by armed groups” in District Sheikhupura — where Muridke is located. The police, however, did not name the TLP. It said that the Sheikhupura Factory Area Station House Officer (SHO) Shehzad Nawaz had lost his life in the line of duty while trying to maintain order and protecting peoples’ lives and properties.
ریاست پر حملہ، پولیس پر گولیاں اور تشدد، املاک کی تباہی اور لوٹ مار یہ احتجاج نہیں کھلی بغاوت ہے دہشتگردی ہے ٹی ایل پی کے مسلح جتھے قانون بالاتر نہیں جب ریاست اپنی رٹ منواتی ہے تو یہ نقاب پوش مجرم مظلوم بننے کا ڈرامہ رچاتے ہیں، مگر یہ سن لیں کہ ریاست کمزور نہیں۔۔۔ pic.twitter.com/BLBdaTI9qz
— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) October 13, 2025
Meanwhile sources at the Mayo Hospital Lahore told Voicepk that a total of 35 individuals injured in the police operation at Muridke have been brought in for treatment. Four police personnel were among the 35 injured. 31 injured persons were participants of the TLP protest. Most patients had bullet injuries. Father of one of the TLP injured participant said his son sustained wounds in the lower part of his body from pellets. Relative of another TLP injured participant told Voicepk that the injured person sustained bullet wound on the shoulder slightly above the chest.
On the ground situation
During the Muridke operation, the police locked up the hardline organization’s headquarters and stopped media persons from approaching the area. They claimed to have recovered cash and some other valuables from the headquarters.
ٹی ایل پی کے رہنما کے گھر سے خزانوں سے بھرے صندوق برآمد ۔ بھاری مقدار میں سونا، ہیمتی گھڑیاں، ۔ میں نذرانے اور پاکستانی و بین الا قوامی کرنسی برآمد۔۔۔ pic.twitter.com/ONZuQ6fGtf
— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) October 11, 2025
There were containers on the main road at Scheme Mor, that led towards Masjid Abuzar Ghaffari, the TLP headquarters. Before the police began the operation, they reportedly held talks twice, but these failed.
In Lahore too, a heavy police cordon by Monday evening, surrounded the TLP headquarters at Yateem Khana Chowk on Multan Road.
In Lahore’s Saggian Pull, there were still TLP activists who were demonstrating and protesting against the police crackdown. An earlier video message by Saad Rizvi, their chief, showed him asking people to come out of their homes and protest wherever they were including appealing to the diaspora community.
Parts of Lahore remained tense on Monday as schools closed early and parents were notified that students should be picked up due to the developing security situation.
Timeline
On Friday, TLP held its protest march in Lahore meaning to march on to Islamabad. The protest was in support for Gaza and Palestine, and was to be held outside the US Embassy in Islamabad. However the authorities and law enforcement agencies, such as Rangers and Punjab police from five districts, blocked all entry points to Islamabad and surrounded the TLP protest camp.
The situation seemed to have been pointing towards an operation over the past five days after the area from Scheme Mor to Samanabad was blockaded. On Monday, locals while speaking to Voicepk expressed their frustration at things coming to a standstill since almost a week. They hoped there would be a conclusion soon and life would return to normalcy.
In a media statement, Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Faisal Kamran had said that they had begun the process of arresting TLP activists since their protest on Friday, and that by Saturday 112 police personnel had been injured. It was also reported that there had been two rounds of talks between the government and the TLP, however these failed.
On Monday, as law enforcement personnel moved to disperse the protesters, TLP supporters present on the location started pelting the police with stones, batons with nails in them and “petrol bombs”. They also opened fire.
On social media, users could see videos showing clashes between the TLP and police, and pictures of burning vehicles.
Meanwhile till late Monday evening there continued to be confusion about the number of fatalities as TLP had claimed that 280 of their people had been killed, but there was no way in which this could be confirmed officially.
There were also strong rumours about TLP chief Saad Rizvi, and his brother Anas Rizvi being shot badly. One of the rumours said that Saad Rizvi had been killed however till evening there was no confirmation about their whereabouts. There have also been rumours about Saad Rizvi’s arrest but also not confirmed by any police official.
Voicepk repeatedly tried to contact TLP leaders to confirm the number of their wounded marchers, however most of their phones were off. Those who responded said they were unable to communicate at the time, and that they were in the process of collecting this data.
Meanwhile the police claimed that all TLP workers had been removed from the area (Muridke).
Press conference
On Monday, the Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari held a press conference where she criticised TLP in harsh tones. She said that it was the responsibility of the government to protect the lives and properties of its people, and it could not evade this.
“Blocking roads and creating inconvenience for citizens – especially at a time when peace has now been restored in Gaza and people are happy there – trying to bring the country to a halt and taking the law into one’s hand is unacceptable,” she said.
She said that the government was always aware and that they were experienced in dealing with ‘such terrorists’. “Using any of the provinces’ resources, and using that for creating a law and order situation, especially at a time when things at the border at already sensitive. At this time,
The Punjab government’s X account also posted a placard against the TLP.
“Attacking the state, firing at and inflicting violence on police, destroying properties and looting and plundering do not qualify as protest but open treason and terrorism. The armed mobs of the TLP are not above the law. When the state enforces its writ, these masked criminals stage a drama of playing the victims.”
TLP receives support from Bar Councils
The Pakistan Bar Council, the Lahore Bar Council and almost all the district Bar Councils have all expressed their support for TLP. On Monday, a video showed a group of lawyers chasing some police officers who were trying to push them back. They verbally abused the policemen throughout the video and also physically attacked them.
Sources from Karachi have also pointed out that the TLP will be protesting in different areas of Karachi including University road, Shahrah-e-Faisal and 4K Chowrangi. There is also news of TLP blocking the National Highway in Ghotki, Sindh.