Police personnel patrol a street after cracking down on TLP activists during an anti-Israel protest in Muridke on October 13. Photo: AFP
LAHORE:
In the wake of the violent protests by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the Punjab Police has drawn up comprehensive lists of the party’s leaders and senior activists for arrest across the province, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
According to police sources, Inspector General (IG) Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar completed lists identifying 4,500 prominent TLP leaders and workers across the province.
The lists have been sent to CCPO Lahore and all Regional Police Officers (RPOs) with instructions to initiate immediate arrests.
Sources said Lahore alone accounts for 1,350 individuals, while Sheikhupura Division has a list of 350, Sahiwal Division 330, Gujranwala Division 450 and Faisalabad Region 430. The IG has ordered that all “key leaders and workers of the proscribed organisation” be arrested without delay.
The move comes amid an ongoing crackdown following violent demonstrations in Lahore, Muridke and adjoining areas where TLP supporters clashed with law enforcement agencies, vandalized public property and blocked highways.
Meanwhile, police have so far registered 25 criminal cases related to the unrest and confirmed the arrest of 253 suspects, while further arrests are expected as geofencing and CCTV footage analysis continues.
Police records show that 2,716 TLP-affiliated protesters have so far been arrested in coordinated operations across Punjab, including 251 in Lahore, 178 in Sheikhupura, 190 in Mandi Bahauddin, 155 in Rawalpindi, 143 in Faisalabad, 135 in Sikotal 128, 128 in Gujran 1 and 128 in Gujran 1.
A total of 76 criminal cases have been registered in various districts – 39 of them in Lahore alone – under charges of terrorism, attempted murder, dacoity, incitement and armed assault on the police.
According to official police data, the protests resulted in 250 police officers and staff being injured, while an inspector was martyred. Lahore reported the highest number of casualties, with 142 officers injured, followed by 48 injuries in Sheikhupura.
Officials said the crackdown would continue until all key organizers and instigators were detained.
Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari dismissed claims by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) that the government had “withheld information” about Operation Muridke, which was launched to disperse the TLP rally, which the group claimed was held in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Bukhari maintained that the government had made genuine attempts to persuade the TLP to call off its march on the US embassy in Islamabad, but the group remained uncooperative.
In a related development, an anti-terrorism court sent 98 detained TLP workers to prison on remand and handed over the other 20 to concerned police officials after 18 days of physical custody for further investigation.
ATC judge Manzar Ali Gul presided over the police remand requests for 118 TLP activists arrested in connection with violent clashes and attacks on police personnel.
According to a court filing, police from Muridke police station produced 98 arrested suspects, while Chung and Baghbanpura police produced 20 accused before the court.
