At least four people were killed and 56 others injured, including policemen and civilians, during violent clashes in Muridke on Monday, amid the long march of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
According to security officials, 48 police and Rangers personnel were injured – including 17 by gunfire – while three TLP supporters and a bystander were killed. Eight civilians were also injured.
Police said the operation to disperse TLP supporters was launched after violent clashes broke out during the march. Protesters set fire to around 40 government and private vehicles, causing significant damage. Security forces then regained full control of the Grand Trunk (GT) road and dispersed the crowd. Several individuals were taken into custody during the operation.
Read: Schools reopen in Rawalpindi after days of disruption
Those injured and affected by tear gas were transferred to nearby hospitals, while authorities temporarily restricted public movement along GT Road. The police also guarded the bodies of the victims and the injured.
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, normalcy has returned after days of unrest. All public and private educational establishments have reopened after a three-day closure, with normal attendance amid tight security. The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has also resumed supplementary examinations as scheduled.
Learn more: TLP protest disrupts traffic and damages vehicles in Karachi
Traffic through Rawalpindi remained generally smooth, although diversions near the Faizabad interchange were maintained. Movement of commuters along Murree Road, Mall Road and Peshawar Road continued without major disruption, and all routes into and out of the city remained open.
