Several injured after clashes between radical Islamist party members, police in Pakistan's Lahore

Lahore, Oct 9 (PTI) Violent clashes between law enforcement officials and members of a radical Islamist party in Pakistan's Lahore city left dozens injured over the issue of an anti-Israel protest, police said on Thursday.

Following an announcement by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to hold an anti-Israel demonstration outside the US embassy in Islamabad on Friday, the Punjab police raided the TLP headquarters here to arrest its chief, Saad Hussain Rizvi.

Violence broke out in the city late on Wednesday night after the Punjab police launched the crackdown.

"At least five police constables and over a dozen TLP workers were injured in clashes that continued for several hours," a police officer told PTI on Thursday. The TLP, however, claimed that at least one of its workers was killed and 20 were injured in clashes with police.

The officer said the police raided the TLP headquarters at Yateeem Khana, Lahore, to execute an arrest warrant against the TLP head, but were attacked instead.

He added that the enraged TLP workers attacked the policemen with stones and iron rods.

"So far, Rizvi eluded arrest. A large number of police personnel have been deployed around the TLP headquarters, and tension is prevailing in the area," he said.

The officer further said the Punjab government is mulling deploying the paramilitary Rangers to avoid further clashes with TLP supporters. "Usually, the religious parties' workers do not attack the Rangers personnel," he said.  Meanwhile, the TLP claimed that at least one of its workers was killed and 20 others were injured in the clashes.

"To stop the peaceful 'Labbaik Ya Aqsa Million March', the Punjab government of (Chief Minister) Maryam Nawaz has resorted to disgraceful tactics. The oppression against unarmed workers and officials of TLP must be stopped immediately," says a TLP spokesperson.

He said police detained dozens of the TLP workers.

“The Jews are oppressing Muslims in Gaza, and here their supporters are oppressing Muslims here,” he said, adding that the TLP strongly condemns the arrests and raids on its workers across the Punjab province.

After the arrest of TLP’s deputy chief Pir Syed Zaheer-ul-Hassan Shah, state oppression has reached its peak in Punjab, he said.  He said showing solidarity with Palestine has become a crime in Pakistan. "The voice of truth cannot be silenced through force. Every act of oppression will fail,” said the TLP spokesperson, adding that if the series of arrests and raids does not stop, the government will be responsible for the public backlash. PTI MZ GRS GRS GRS