TLP Protest: Islamabad, Rawalpindi Face Roadblocks and Mobile Data Suspension
Minister Talal Chaudhry accuses TLP of attempting to spread “unrest and chaos” amid security clampdown across Punjab
October 10, 2025
Residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are facing severe inconvenience as the government has sealed major entry and exit routes and suspended mobile internet services in response to Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) planned march toward the federal capital on Friday.
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According to an official notification issued by the Ministry of Interior, 3G and 4G mobile data services have been suspended in both cities “until further orders” to maintain law and order. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been directed to implement the suspension in coordination with Islamabad and Rawalpindi authorities.
Meanwhile, containers and barricades have been placed at multiple points across the twin cities, including Faizabad, Zero Point, and Chungi No. 26, causing heavy traffic disruptions for commuters.
🚫 Section 144 Imposed Across Punjab
To prevent potential violence or large gatherings, the Punjab Home Department has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code across the province for 14 days. The order prohibits public gatherings, sit-ins, and the display of weapons.
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Authorities said the decision follows credible intelligence reports warning of possible coordinated attacks on public places, security installations, and government offices. The use of loudspeakers for purposes other than the call to prayer or Friday sermons has also been banned under the same order.
In Lahore, security has been tightened, and several key roads have been closed, adding to the city’s traffic woes.
⚖️ Lawyers Face Challenges Amid Blockades
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) has voiced concern over the citywide road closures, saying that lawyers are struggling to reach the courts. The body has requested that courts avoid issuing adverse orders in cases where legal representatives fail to appear due to the blockades.
🔥 Government Responds to TLP’s “Gaza March”
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry criticized the TLP for attempting to organize what he called a “so-called Gaza March”, claiming it is intended not to support Palestinians but to “create unrest and chaos” within Pakistan.
“The government always allows peaceful protests under the law, but the TLP neither sought permission nor agreed to follow standard operating procedures,” the minister said during a press conference on Thursday.
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He added that several TLP members were arrested in Punjab and Islamabad while carrying batons, chemicals, glass bottles, and even tear gas shells, which he said undermines the group’s claim of holding a peaceful demonstration.
“Does this look like a peaceful protest or an attempt to incite violence?” he questioned.
The minister alleged that the TLP’s timing appears aimed at diverting attention from key national security matters, recalling that the group had made similar moves “even during times of Indian aggression.”
🇵🇸 Pakistan’s Support for Palestine
Chaudhry reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding support for the people of Palestine, emphasizing that the government has consistently raised its voice for their cause at all international forums.
“No one can question Pakistan’s commitment to Palestine,” he said. “But we cannot allow anyone to exploit this issue for political or disruptive purposes.”
