Overview

• Police in Pakistan have arrested approximately 170 individuals following a series of 20 attacks on KFC restaurants across major cities, including Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad.
• The attacks are tied to boycott calls by Islamist groups linking Western brands like KFC to US support for Israel during the ongoing Gaza conflict.
• A KFC employee was fatally shot at a Lahore branch on April 13, though authorities are still investigating whether the killing was politically motivated or unrelated to the protests.
• Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), an Islamist party, denied organizing the protests but confirmed its support for boycotting Israeli-linked products.
• Security has been heightened at dozens of KFC outlets as police continue to probe the coordination and motives behind the violent demonstrations.