KARACHI, Pakistan — On Sunday, police in Karachi resorted to firing tear gas and using batons to control a large crowd of demonstrators after they attempted to breach a security blockade set up by law enforcement.

Around 2,000 individuals associated with a far-right Islamist party gathered with the intention of reaching the local press club, where they aimed to protest against a separate demonstration organized by civil society groups concerning the death of a blasphemy suspect while in police custody.

As tensions escalated, members of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party began to throw stones at police officers and set fire to a patrol vehicle when they were unable to advance towards their destination.

The party reported that violence resulted in the death of one of its members, while authorities detained approximately 20 individuals involved in both groups.

Provincial Interior Minister Zia Ul Hassan expressed concerns over the potential for clashes, noting that both the political party and the civil society organizations had planned their demonstrations for the same day.

Ul Hassan denounced the outbreak of violence, particularly in light of an imminent security summit in Islamabad and a recent fatal attack on a convoy carrying Chinese nationals near the city’s airport.

The TLP is known for its staunch support of Pakistan’s contentious blasphemy laws, which impose the death penalty for perceived insults to Islam.