Dealing with violence April 15, 2021 Once again, the past two days saw state forces confronting the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which came out in protest on the streets of major cities across the country, following the arrest of their leader Saad Hussain Rizvi. The violent protests disrupted traffic and the lives of citizens who were stuck at highways and major thoroughfares mostly in Punjab. The end result: protesters on the streets and highways; citizens stuck in the middle; ambulances and medical supplies choked; and the police force – which was bravely on the ground – facing violent mobs in many places. Four people were killed in clashes between police and the protesters, including at least one policeman, with the TLP opening fire on unarmed police who had been sent out completely unprepared to face a group of protesters with so much organisation and firepower at its disposal. On Wednesday, the government announced its intention to ban the TLP; the matter will now be taken up by the federal cabinet.