ISLAMABAD – A deadly confrontation outside a mosque in the Samundri tehsil of Faisalabad led to the killing of Muhammad Asif, a man who has since become the center of a complex story involving the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
Asif was first denied by TLP as one of its workers. However, after his death, the banned organization acknowledged him as an active member and lamented his death. At the same time, military sources and a senior police officer told global news outlet that Asif previously served in the Pakistan Army and had left the institution in January 2025 without notifying authorities.
According to these sources, he also faced allegations of disciplinary violations. Before his death, Asif had been in hiding for an extended period. During this time, he released several social media videos acknowledging his past military service.
According to the police FIR registered at the Samundri police station, the incident started on 17 October when Asif opened fire on police in a market area, killing police driver Iftikhar. As he moved toward a nearby mosque, Asif allegedly fired upon Constable Ali Raza, who was passing through the village, injuring him. FIR stated that Asif entered the mosque, took hold of the loudspeaker, and announced that “if any police or anyone else comes before me today, I will kill them.”
Asif made announcement over loudspeaker that he had witnessed “injustice” during the police operation in Muridke and claimed that the authorities wanted to kill him because he was a witness. According to the eyewitness, Asif urged local villagers to support him, stating that he was “army trained.”
Residents called the police emergency helpline, and soon police surrounded the mosque. Officers climbed surrounding rooftops and engaged Asif in a brief exchange of gunfire. According to eyewitness accounts, Asif was killed at the mosque staircase during the police operation.
After his death, several clips of Asif went viral on social media. In these recordings, he claimed to have witnessed the police operation in Muridke during TLP’s violent protests the previous month. That operation left several people, including a police officer, dead, and subsequently led the federal government to impose a ban on TLP on Punjab’s recommendation.
In his videos, Asif also alleged that he had been homeless since the Muridke incident and claimed that intelligence agencies were attempting to track him. He issued threats to senior government officials, including the Chief Minister of Punjab, and made allegations against the military and intelligence services.
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