Pakistan: TLP protests cause disruptions in Lahore, Rawalpindi April 12

Event

Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), an Islamist political party, staged demonstrations in several cities on Thursday, April 12. Among the cities affected include Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, and Peshawar; the group also disrupted traffic on several major thoroughfares, including the National Highway connecting Karachi and Lahore, and prompted the suspension of bus service in Lahore. Additionally, TLP planned to hold a protest march on Thursday at 19:00 (local time) in Karachi from Numaish Chowrangi to the Karachi Press Club. A heightened security presence has also been deployed to Islamabad as the government's deadline to meet the TLP's demands expired on Thursday. Additional protests, heightened security measures, and associated traffic disruptions (particularly on intercity highways) are expected in the abovementioned areas in the coming hours and days until leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi calls off the protests.

Context

TLP has reportedly launched the protests to demand the full implementation of the Faizabad agreement, which followed a series of violent protests and clashes between the Islamist protesters and the government in November 2017. The Islamabad protests were spearheaded by Islamist protesters demanding the removal of the Pakistani federal law minister, Zahid Hamid, for his alleged revision of an oath (Khatm-i-Nabuwwat), which testifies that the Prophet Muhammad is the final prophet in Islam in a constitutional bill (Elections Act 2017). The revision to the oath was reversed and proclaimed by Pakistani officials to have been a clerical error before Hamid was removed from office as part of the agreement, among the fulfillment of other TLP demands.

Large-scale religious violence is not unheard of in Islamabad; in 2007, clashes between supporters of fundamentalist preachers and Pakistani authorities resulted in over 100 deaths.

Advice

Individuals in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and other affected areas are advised to anticipate transportation disruptions surrounding any demonstrations, to avoid all public gatherings due to the risk of violence, and to monitor developments to the situation.

Due to the prevailing terrorist threat in the region, individuals should remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.).