The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s protest sit-in against the Israeli aggression in Gaza continued for the second consecutive day on Sunday at the Faizabad interchange in Islamabad.

The large crowds of protesters in this area significantly disrupt traffic flow, forcing drivers to take longer, alternative routes between Islamabad and Rawalpindi while they have also blocked several surrounding roads by placing stones.

On Saturday, the religiopolitical party marched from Liaquat Bagh to Faizabad in solidarity with Palestinians. But they later decided to stage a sit-in at the interchange and placed their three demands. Party workers have now set up tents on the Faisal Avenue.

“The sit-in at Faizabad will continue until our demands are met,” TLP chief Saad Rizvi, who is leading the protest, said.

The TLP has demanded that the government should provide food and medical aid to the Palestinians, officially boycott Israeli products, and declare Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “terrorist.”

Journalist Nadir Baloch, associated with a private TV channel, shared a video on X regarding the road blockades, stating, “Workers of the TLP have also blocked the Islamabad Expressway. The Islamabad Expressway has been blocked at Faizabad.”

Another journalist Roshan Din Diameri said: “TLP has come to the field to humiliate the people. What do you get by blocking the road? Why are these people not going to D Chowk?”

Government-TLP talks yet to begin

The federal government has not yet initiated any negotiations with the protesting TLP group, an official from the interior ministry, speaking on the condition of seeking anonymity, told BBC Urdu.

The official told BBC Urdu correspondent Rouhan Ahmed that “the demands made by TLP fall within the purview of the federal government, but no talks have been held between the government and TLP so far.”

The official stated that the negotiations have been taking place only between the TLP and the local administration up until now.

The report quoted Rana Waqas, the Islamabad deputy commissioner, as talks between the protest leaders and the local administration were under way. He said that the TLP workers were staging a sit-in at Faizabad, but all other major roads were open for regular traffic.

He added that efforts were under way to convince the TLP leaders that the government’s stance on the Gaza situation was already very clear and medical aid for Palestinians was already being sent through Egypt.

Waqas expressed the hope that there would certainly be progress in the talks and the matter would move towards a resolution.