Violent clashes have erupted in Pakistan’s Punjab state between police and members of the Islamist group Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of five people. The group organized a march in response to US President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of a ceasefire deal to end the Gaza war, which they oppose. The march, which covered a distance of nearly 400km from Lahore to the capital Islamabad, began on Friday and turned violent when demonstrators clashed with police.

According to local media reports, a police officer was shot and killed, and several others were wounded. Three protesters and one passerby were also killed in the clashes, which lasted for over three hours. Around 50 police personnel were badly injured, and numerous protesters were arrested. Tehrik-e-Labaik claimed that police fired on its supporters, resulting in several deaths and injuries. The group’s leader, Saad Rizvi, was also injured, receiving three bullet wounds.

Pakistani authorities had deployed 1,500 policemen in anti-riot gear, supported by four armored personnel carriers and water cannons, to surround the protest camp along the Grand Trunk Road. The police action was aimed at dispersing the protesters, who were opposing Pakistan’s support of the US-backed peace initiative. The clashes highlight the deep divisions within Pakistan over the Gaza conflict and the US-brokered ceasefire deal.

The march was organized by Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan, a hardline Islamist group that has been vocal in its opposition to the US and Israel. The group’s protests have often turned violent in the past, and the latest clashes are a cause for concern for the Pakistani authorities. The incident also underscores the challenges faced by the Pakistani government in balancing its relations with the US and other countries with the strong anti-US and anti-Israel sentiments among some sections of its population.

The situation remains tense in Punjab, with the authorities urging calm and restraint. The incident is likely to have significant implications for Pakistan’s relations with the US and other countries, and the government will need to navigate the complex web of alliances and rivalries to find a way forward.