LAHORE: The police responded to three incidents of violence on Thursday in the city, leaving several areas unattended where the routine life has been paralysed for the last two days due to protests by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

The police chose to act only at those spots where mobsters attacked them. They, however, remained indifferent to the incidents in the city where baton-wielding protestors abused and manhandled commoners for demanding passages.

Sources said a group of protesters attacked an official of the law enforcement agency near Governor House when he tried to cross barricades by the TLP people. The police deployed there rescued the colleague and shifted him to the Services Hospital Lahore.

In another incident in the Kot Lakhpat area, when TLP activists tried to block the railway track near Kacha Jail Road, the police tried to disperse them. However, the mob attacked the police and captured one of the policemen and thrashed him. The police rescued their colleague after hectic efforts and shifted him to the Lahore General Hospital where he was being treated for his bone fractures.

Near Nasser Bagh, TLP activists clashed with the police while trying to block roads. Tensions griped the area for a couple of hours. The police called in reinforcements and anti-riot force to maintain law and order.

The lack of action from the police stems from no strategy from the government to tackle the protesters.

A senior police officer said that the top authorities did not get clear instructions from either the Punjab government or the inspector general on how to how to respond TLP representatives and activists. Police officers engaged TLP office-bearers in Lahore trying in vain to convince them to clear one side of roads. TLP representatives asked officers to come with a decisive mandate for talks.

Sources said scuffles between protestors and citizens were reported in various parts of the city when TLP activists did not allow passages to patients.

TLP activists thrashed a motorcyclist and also burnt his two-wheeler when he tried to breach a road blockage on Ferozepur Road near Kahna.

A police official said they had lodged cases against TLP activists for torturing the police personnel near the Governor House and in the Kotlakphat area.

The TLP has picketed roads at Data Darbar, Faisal Chowk, Chungi Amar Sidhu, Katcha Jail Road, Bhatti Chowk, Ghazi Road, Texali Chowk, Shahdra Chowk, Kahna, Thokar, Babu Sabu Interchange, etc.A spokesperson for the National Highways and Motorways said that the roads were still blocked for traffic due to the sit-ins.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2018