Pakistan Government Bans TLP, Protests Erupt In Lahore; Three Killed In Police Crackdown On Banned Radical Islamist Party TLP

Three workers of banned radical Islamist party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) were killed and scores injured in a fresh operation launched by Pakistani security forces on April 18. The attack was against the outfit that carried out violent protests to force the government to expel the French ambassador over a blasphemous caricature published in France last year. Rangers & police on April 18 morning launched the operation at the TLP headquarters (Chowk Yateem Khana) Lahore to remove thousands of workers camped there, blocking the main Multan Road. During the operation, three TLP activists were killed and dozens injured. A senior police officer, among several law enforcers suffered injuries, a senior police officer told PTI. During the operation, the protesters also held a senior police officer, Omar Farooq Baloch, hostage and tortured him, he said. In a video message released by the TLP, Baloch, who had head injury, urged the Imran Khan government not to kill fellow Muslims. He urged him to abide by the agreement his government signed with the TLP over expulsion of the French ambassador. Police have failed to recover Baloch from the TLP’s custody so far despite having negotiations with it. The government on Friday had announced completion of the operation against TLP in the country which had begun Monday last. After completion of the operation, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said four policemen were killed and over 600 injured in the four-day violent clashes between the law enforcers and TLP workers across the country.