In a dramatic and violent turn of events, Pakistan finds itself at a crossroads following a sweeping crackdown on the far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) movement. Over the past week, authorities have launched a series of raids, arrests, and investigations targeting the group’s leadership and supporters, culminating in a high-profile money-laundering probe against TLP chief Saad Rizvi. The fallout from these actions has rippled through Pakistan’s political, social, and security landscape, raising fears of deeper unrest in the nation’s heartland and beyond.
According to Dawn, the saga began on October 12-13, 2025, when law enforcement agencies—including Punjab police, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA)—raided Rizvi’s residence in Lahore. Authorities were reportedly stunned by what they found: huge sums of foreign currency, around 1.92 kilograms of gold, nearly 900 grams of silver, and a trove of luxury items, including 69 branded wristwatches and dozens of gold and silver ornaments. The total currency recovered, officials said, amounted to Rs110 million, with 50,000 Indian rupees among the haul.
“The FIA has frozen several bank accounts that were allegedly being used to fund violent protests,” the agency said in a statement, adding that key financiers were being placed on the stop list. The scope of the investigation has since widened, with authorities scrutinizing the bank accounts and assets of Rizvi, his son, and other family members to determine the extent of wealth accumulated under the TLP banner.
The raid and subsequent crackdown were triggered by violent protests orchestrated by the TLP across Punjab province. As reported by India Today, the group led massive marches toward Islamabad, prompting the deployment of armoured personnel carriers and the imposition of internet blackouts in Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi. The situation quickly devolved into chaos, with security forces opening fire to disperse crowds, resulting in dozens of deaths. TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi was shot and wounded during the street protests on October 14; his fate, at the time of reporting, remains uncertain. During the initial crackdown in Muridke, Rizvi managed to escape, further complicating the authorities’ efforts to contain the unrest.
The TLP’s headquarters on Multan Road in Lahore has effectively become a ‘no-go area’ for both law enforcement and the general public, according to police officials cited by Dawn. The group reportedly purchased dozens of properties in the area, housing loyalists and equipping them with state-of-the-art technology for media operations and rapid response to police actions.
Punjab police have registered at least 22 First Information Reports (FIRs) against Rizvi and the TLP leadership, with charges ranging from terrorism and murder to inciting hate and anti-state slogans. The primary FIR alone names over 300 suspects, including Rizvi’s brother Anas Rizvi and several central leaders. The charges are grave: Inspector Shahzad Nawaaz was allegedly kidnapped, beaten, and shot in the abdomen by TLP supporters, later succumbing to his injuries. The FIR details how TLP mobs armed with clubs, iron rods, and sharp-edged weapons with nails attacked police, opening indiscriminate fire and injuring many officers. Additional FIRs in Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Chichawatni, and Gujrat allege further acts of terrorism and incitement.
The government’s response has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Renowned cleric Mufti Muneebur Rehman, addressing a conference of religious leaders in Karachi, called for a judicial commission led by a superior judge to investigate the crackdown and alleged excessive force. “There is a growing demand that a judge of the high court or the SC should lead a thorough and independent investigation into this heart-wrenching and brutal incident. The aim is to identify those responsible and to recommend appropriate punishments based on the findings,” Mufti Muneeb stated, urging authorities to release the bodies of deceased TLP workers to their families and halt raids on activists’ homes. He also appealed to TLP leaders to abandon violence and pursue their goals through democratic means.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan echoed these concerns, expressing deep alarm at the violence that has unfolded since October 8. “We are equally concerned by the lack of transparency and credible, independent information surrounding the operation, providing which was the government’s responsibility. While state authorities have neglected to address the TLP’s consistent role in promoting hate speech and inciting mob violence against individuals and groups, particularly religious minorities, this does not justify the alleged use of excessive force,” the Commission said, emphasizing that both Pakistan’s Constitution and international law require security forces to use the minimum necessary force—even when dispersing violent assemblies.
For many observers, the events of October 2025 evoke memories of Pakistan’s infamous Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) operation in 2007, when a military assault on a militant-occupied mosque in Islamabad triggered a wave of insurgency that has haunted the country for nearly two decades. India Today draws a direct parallel, describing the current crackdown as Pakistan’s “Lal Masjid moment” and warning that it could ignite a new phase of internal conflict. The article recounts how previous military interventions, from the Red Mosque to operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, have often led to prolonged turmoil and the rise of extremist groups.
What makes the current situation especially precarious is its epicenter: Punjab province. As Pakistan’s economic engine and political heart, Punjab accounts for more than half of the country’s population, GDP, and tax revenue. Historically, it has been insulated from the insurgencies that have plagued Pakistan’s peripheries. But as the rise of the TLP demonstrates, even Punjab is not immune to radicalization and unrest. The TLP, now Pakistan’s fourth-largest political party, secured over 2.9 million votes in the 2024 elections, leveraging issues such as the plight of Palestinians in Gaza to rally support and pressure the state.
The broader context is equally fraught. Pakistan’s economy teeters on the brink, propped up by a $7 billion IMF loan. The military, led by Field Marshal Asim Munir, faces challenges on multiple fronts: a hostile India, insurgencies along the Afghan border, and now, unrest in its core province. The government’s recent endorsement of the Trump-brokered 20-point Gaza Peace Plan in Egypt adds another layer of complexity, with speculation swirling about what Pakistan may be asked to concede in return—possibly even normalizing relations with Israel or deploying troops abroad, both of which would be deeply controversial domestically.
As the dust settles, Pakistan stands at a dangerous juncture. The crackdown on the TLP has exposed deep fissures within society, tested the limits of state power, and raised the specter of a wider conflict. Whether the authorities can restore order without fueling further radicalization—and whether the TLP will retreat or regroup—remains to be seen. For now, the country watches anxiously, mindful of the lessons of its own turbulent past and uncertain of what comes next.