Zulfikarabad city: JSQM activists halted from marching towards Chinese Consulate

The protesters later blocked National Highway for three hours.

KARACHI: Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz activists staged a sit-in on the National Highway near Steel Town on Thursday after police did not give them permission to march towards the Chinese Consulate in Clifton to protest against the Zulfikarabad project. Security was also beefed up around the consulate and its surrounding areas. 

JSQM workers, led by the party’s acting chairman Dr Niaz Kalani, started their march from Gulshan-e-Hadeed and chanted slogans against the Chinese company responsible for the construction of the Zulfikarabad project in Thatta district. They were intercepted by police and Rangers officials who were carrying batons and water cannons.

The activists continued their protest and later blocked the National Highway for nearly three hours, suspending traffic between Karachi and Thatta, Badin and other districts.

While speaking on the occasion, Dr Niaz Kalani said that the Zulfikarabad project would not be in the best interest for the local people.  He also alleged that law enforcement officials had arrested dozens of JSQM workers who were coming to join rally. “Organising peaceful protests is a democratic right of every citizen or party. But the Pakistan Peoples Party-led democratic government did not given us permission to do so,” remarked Kalani.

The JSQM chairman announced that they will organise demonstrations against the Zulfikarabad project across the province on July 18.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2012.