As guns fall silent in Gaza and the world inches toward a long-awaited peace, Pakistan finds itself once again gripped by chaos of its own making. At a time when diplomacy has achieved what years of war could not, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has chosen to unleash unrest on the streets, leading to tragic consequences—including the martyrdom of a police officer in Muridke and injuries to hundreds of on-duty policemen, many with gunfire wounds.
The timing and nature of these protests could not have been more misplaced. While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Egypt to witness and endorse a historic peace agreement aimed at bringing stability to Gaza, TLP workers have resorted to violence at home, attacking government and public buildings under the pretext of “solidarity with Palestine.” This contradiction is both painful and revealing. For nearly two years, Gaza bled in silence—its people facing relentless bombings and starvation—yet the TLP remained largely absent from meaningful global or humanitarian advocacy. Now, when the guns have quieted and a fragile peace is emerging, they have chosen to create turmoil within Pakistan.
The murder of SHO Punjab Police and injuries to law enforcement officers—who were simply performing their duty—represent an alarming escalation that must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. There is no justification for the spilling of Pakistani blood in the name of foreign causes, especially when the state and its institutions are already engaged in diplomatic efforts to support the very peace that these protests claim to champion. Violence against police officers, public servants, and government property is not activism; it is an assault on the rule of law and the stability of the nation.
Pakistan’s security personnel have long stood as the front line against extremism and disorder. To attack them is to undermine the same state apparatus that protects citizens’ right to protest peacefully. The images of wounded officers and burning buildings do not evoke solidarity—they project chaos and weakness at a time when Pakistan’s credibility and unity are essential.
The TLP leadership must ask itself what it truly seeks to achieve. Does the destruction of property or the death of a policeman bring justice to Gaza? Does internal strife elevate Pakistan’s voice in the Muslim world—or silence it further? Those who exploit religious sentiment for political mileage do irreparable damage to causes they claim to defend.
The government, too, must act decisively. Appeasement or indecision has, in the past, emboldened extremist factions. The law must apply equally to all—those who incite or commit violence in the name of religion must face justice. The state cannot afford hesitation when its protectors are under attack.
Solidarity with Palestine must come through diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and moral clarity—not mob violence. As the world celebrates a moment of fragile peace in Gaza, Pakistan should be contributing to that stability, not becoming a scene of bloodshed. The tragic loss in Muridke should serve as a solemn reminder: no cause is righteous when pursued through the path of anarchy.