- Interior minister claims TLP groups fired at police despite late-night talks for truce
- Clarifies action targeted only violent elements, not seminaries or religious figures
- Warns of ‘pattern’ behind recurring violent protests, hints at coordinated effort
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday accused the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) of resorting to armed violence during its recent protests, claiming that some of its groups opened fire at police despite the government’s “sincere efforts” for a peaceful resolution.
Speaking at a press briefing in Islamabad, Mr Naqvi said that while law enforcement had used force, it was limited to those who had attacked security personnel or destroyed property. He defended the police operation to clear blocked roads and commended the forces involved for their restraint and professionalism.
“TLP resorted to violence and armed protests. Their groups, with weapons, fired at security forces. But apart from TLP leaders, no action will be taken against any seminaries or religious figures,” the minister asserted.
Mr Naqvi said negotiations with the TLP had continued “until 2:30am,” but the group’s leadership “chose confrontation over dialogue.” He alleged that the demands put forward by protest leaders were “unreasonable,” and questioned whether the protest was truly for Palestine or aimed at securing the release of certain individuals.
He also expressed concern over the increasing frequency of major protests in recent months, saying such demonstrations appeared to follow a “pattern.” “Every 15 days, we see a new wave of agitation. There seems to be a coordinated effort behind these protests,” he remarked, hinting at broader forces influencing the unrest.
Rejecting claims that the government had avoided dialogue, Mr Naqvi said senior religious and political figures had attempted to mediate but were “misled” by protest leaders. He also showed footage of protesters brandishing weapons and forcibly taking over vehicles.
The interior minister reiterated that the government respected the right to peaceful protest but would not tolerate violence, vandalism, or the use of arms. “The government remains firm in upholding law and order—there will be zero tolerance for violence under any pretext,” he said.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yousaf, and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry accompanied Mr Naqvi at the briefing.
Mr Tarar strongly condemned the violence, calling it a deliberate attempt to destabilise the country under the guise of protests. “Who gave the protesters the right to damage public and private property? A police inspector was martyred—he was shot 21 times,” he said.
He added that more than 100 police personnel had been targeted during the unrest and vowed that “arson and destruction of peace” would not be tolerated.
The information minister noted that Pakistan had consistently supported the Palestinian cause at international forums—an effort acknowledged by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani people for their solidarity.
Mr Tarar contrasted Pakistan’s violent protests with peaceful global demonstrations in support of Palestine, saying, “Elsewhere in the world, rallies have remained peaceful—in Pakistan, however, violent protesters armed with sophisticated weapons attacked police and damaged property.”
