LAHORE: An outlet of a fast-food chain on Wednesday came under an attack in Defense Housing Authority (DHA) when scores of people pelted it with stones, shattering windowpanes and damaging some of its portions.

Video clips surfacing on social media soon after the incident showed a mob attacking the building in the DHA’s Phase IV, known for housing outlets of different food chains.

Many of the attackers came on bikes, with some of them carrying clubs.

Eyewitnesses say that the attack was unleashed all of a sudden by unidentified men, shattering the glass doors and windowpanes of the fast-food outlet.

They say the attackers fled when, on being called, a heavy police contingent arrived there.

However, no visitor or staff of the franchise got injured in the attack, according to police.

The attackers also damaged the furniture placed in the corridors of the building.

A police official says that apparently the attack occurred when a protest against Israeli atrocities in Gaza got out of control of the organisers and the protesters targeted the fast-food chain outlet to vent their anger. Following the incident, the police heightened the security in and around the international chain outlets by deploying elite force personnel.

Senior police officers also reached the site and ordered intensive patrolling in the area, besides a hunt for the attackers after their identification.

There are reports that the security was also beefed up around all the fast-food chains outlets in various parts of the city to avoid such incidents in future.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025