Five people, including a police officer, were killed and dozens wounded on Monday as clashes erupted between Pakistani security forces and thousands of anti-Israel protesters in Islamabad.
Demonstrators opened fire on security forces, killing the officer and injuring others, Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar told the Associated Press. According to the report, three protesters and a passerby also died in the clashes before authorities dispersed the crowd.
The demonstrators had planned to protest outside the U.S. embassy in the city, Anwar added.
The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, which organized the protest, said in a statement that hundreds of its supporters were injured.
TLP said party chief Saad Rizvi was among those wounded on Monday.
The protesters had begun a march from eastern Pakistan on Friday, traveling toward Lahore and ultimately Islamabad, the capital.
Ahead of Monday’s deadly clash, police arrested more than 100 people during a protest on Saturday as part of the ongoing march.
Pakistan’s Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry said over the weekend that he did not understand why TLP resorted to violence instead of celebrating the Gaza ceasefire.
TLP rose to prominence in Pakistan’s 2018 election by campaigning on a platform of defending the country’s blasphemy law, which mandates the death penalty for anyone who insults Islam.
