Lahore, October 15, 2025 — A province-wide crackdown against a banned religious organization intensified on Tuesday, as Punjab Police detained more than 2,500 individuals in coordinated operations across multiple districts, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Sheikhupura.
According to official police sources, the crackdown follows a series of violent protests and attacks on law enforcement personnel that left one police inspector martyred and over 250 officers injured. The Punjab Home Department had reportedly issued directives to restore public order and curb the group’s escalating street demonstrations, which authorities claim were disrupting civic life and threatening security.
In Lahore alone, 251 members of the group were taken into custody, while 135 were arrested in Gujranwala, 178 in Sheikhupura, 128 in Sialkot, and 196 in Rawalpindi. Additional arrests were made in Mandi Bahauddin (210), Gujrat (80), Attock, and Sadiqabad, with police vowing to continue operations until all “instigators of unrest” are apprehended.
A senior police spokesperson confirmed that 76 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered across various police stations under sections related to rioting, damage to public property, and obstruction of law enforcement. “All those involved in attacks on police or vandalizing public infrastructure will face strict legal action,” the spokesperson added.
The clashes reportedly began after the religious group announced fresh demonstrations in several cities, demanding the release of detained leaders and pursuing other political demands. Authorities, citing intelligence reports, warned that the group’s activities were being coordinated through online platforms, prompting preemptive arrests to “maintain law and order.”
