As Trump’s Gaza peace plan brings calm to the Middle East, Islamist mobs unleash terror in Lahore under the guise of “Palestine solidarity.”
While U.S. President Donald Trump’s historic Gaza peace initiative ushered in a fragile calm between Israel and Hamas, Pakistan plunged into chaos on Saturday as radical Islamist group Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) turned Lahore’s streets into a war zone.
Violent clashes erupted after police blocked TLP’s planned pro-Hamas “solidarity rally” toward Islamabad. Enraged extremists hurled stones, torched police vehicles, and chanted anti-Israel slogans, vowing to “die for Palestine.” Law enforcement officers were forced to use tear gas and baton charges to contain the mob, which vandalized public property and endangered civilians.
In an inflammatory speech, TLP chief Saad Rizvi called the police “Israeli goons” and incited his followers toward “martyrdom.” The group claimed that 11 of its members were killed and more than 50 injured — a narrative widely seen as part of its propaganda to inflame sectarian tensions. Pakistani outlet The Dawn reported that dozens of police officers were also wounded in the chaos, as violent demonstrators stormed Lahore’s Azadi Chowk, setting fire to vehicles and clashing with security forces for hours.
Authorities have since sealed off major highways, erected barricades, and even dug trenches to prevent the TLP mob from reaching Islamabad, where they planned to stage a demonstration near the U.S. Embassy — a symbolic rejection of Washington’s peace efforts.
The timing of the riots — coinciding with Israel and Hamas’ first phase of Trump-mediated truce — highlights the growing radicalization in Pakistan, where militant clerics exploit Gaza for political theater while ordinary Palestinians finally glimpse a future without Hamas’ tyranny.
As Israel works toward rebuilding Gaza through peace and accountability, Lahore’s unrest exposes the stark contrast between nations striving for stability and those drowning in fanaticism.
