Protests erupted across major cities in Pakistan after Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Hussain Rizvi was arrested in Lahore as a “pre-emptive measure” ahead of the party’s April 20 deadline to the government.
Clashes between police and protesters were reported from Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and several other smaller cities. However, let’s have a look at why the TLP chief was arrested and what are their demands?
What does TLP want?
The TLP is protesting blasphemous caricatures published in France and demanding that the French ambassador be sent home and import of goods from that country banned.
In October 2020, a history teacher who had shown blasphemous sketches of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W) in class was decapitated and his assailant shot dead by French police as they tried to arrest him. In the days that followed the beheading, the caricatures were projected onto the facade of a building in one French city and people displayed them at protests around the country.
Following the killing, French President Emmanuel Macron criticised Islamists and vowed not to “give up cartoons” depicting Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W). Prime Imran Khan as well as other leaders of Muslim countries had denounced the French premier’s comments while countrywide protests were held calling for a boycott of French products.
The government had reached an agreement with the TLP on Nov 16 to involve the parliament to decide the matter in three months. As the Feb 16 deadline neared, the government expressed its inability to implement the agreement and sought more time. The TLP agreed to delay its protest by two-and-a-half months to April 20 – the deadline.
The deadline and TLP chief’s arrest
On Sunday, the party chief, in a video message, asked the TLP workers to be ready to lunch the long march if government failed to meet the deadline. It prompted the government to arrest him.
Police swooped on Rizvi at around 2pm on Wahdat Road in Lahore where he had gone to attend a funeral. Outraged, the TLP issued a call for countrywide protests. Within the next few hours, protesters took to the streets and blocked the Grand Trunk Road on a number of points.
The Protests
There were violent clashes and riots between police and activists of the party across the country. At least two policemen had been killed and more than 340 wounded by demonstrators in the past 48 hours.
On the other hand, four supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) were also killed while more than 100 were arrested. Police fired tear gas and water cannon in attempts to disperse the protesters, who fought back in some places by throwing stones.
At least 40 other police officials have been injured in clashes with the protesters. The Lahore police have registered a case against the TLP Chief Saad Rizvi and others under terrorism and other charges.
Amid sporadic violent clashes between protestors and law enforcement agencies, a significant number of the country’s major arteries remained blocked. The blockades have paralysed business in almost all major cities.
Govt bans TLP
The government decided to ban Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under the Anti-Terrorism ACT as its activists, supporters and workers were carrying out violent protests across the country for the last three days against the arrest of their chief.
Meanwhile, sources have informed that the federal cabinet has approved the summary seeking the imposition of a ban on the ultra-right-wing. The summary of the interior ministry seeking a ban on TLP was sent to Prime Minister Imran Khan which was approved and was circulated among cabinet members.
The government’s decision to proscribe the TLP will lead to a harsh reaction which it should be prepared for. The past shows that parties that have been banned turned more violent and unleashed ever more damage.
Violence, not a solution
Meanwhile, Pakistan is looking to use its soft image as a diplomatic instrument for regional economic and political advantage, but the presence of radical groups on its soil makes this task complicated. Allowing an ambitious religious group to halt normalcy in the federal capital has hurt the national image most.
Extremism is the biggest enemy of the nation, which is not only weakening the already deteriorating governance system in the country but also undermining national dignity and Pakistan’s global image.
