Supporting rallies: Amid city-wide protests, traffic comes to a standstill

Religious organisations held rallies after Friday prayer in support of executed killer of Salmaan Taseer.

KARACHI: Protests by religious organisations over the execution of Punjab governor Salman Taseer's killer, Mumtaz Qadri, led to massive traffic jams in the city on Friday evening.

Qadri, an Elite Force policeman in Taseer's security protocol, gunned down the former governor on January 4, 2011, in Islamabad's Kausar Market for his support of a woman accused of blasphemy. Qadri, the self-confessed killer, was executed at Adiala jail early Monday morning.

The entire country witnessed massive protests and rallies over the execution on Monday and Friday was no different, as protests were held by different religious organisations in various parts of the city. A ban on pillion riding had already been imposed in the city amid fear of potential backlash and a ban on holding rallies and protests was imposed but to no avail.

The central protest was organised by the Ittehad-e-Ahle Sunnat, an alliance of several parties representing the Barelvi school of thought, and was staged at Numaish Chowrangi. The protest was attended by thousands, including a large number of women and children holding placards and portraits of Qadri.

The alliance comprises the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Noorani), Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, Jamaat-e-Ahle Sunnat, Sunni Alliance, Sunni Ittehad Council and others. Apart from the central protest, small protests were also held in various parts of the city including Korangi Crossing, Nagan Chowrangi, Nazimabad, Orangi Town, Ittehad Town, Malir and Federal B Area. The main rally started at Numaish Chowrangi after the Friday prayers and the participants later marched towards Tibet Centre on MA Jinnah Road where the leaders of religious organisations adopted various resolutions before ending the protest by 8pm. Of the many demands shared with the crowd, the leaders insisted that alleged blasphemer, Aasia Noreen, should be hanged, 'fake cases' against leaders and scholars made by the police for holding protests should be withdrawn and, by Saturday, the Pakistan Muslim lLeague should be called the 'mujrim [culprit] league'.

Protest turns violent

The enraged protesters also attacked Aaj TV office in Guru Mandir - an act that was condemned by journalists' bodies as well as the government. An Express News DSNG van that was covering the rally also came under attack at Numaish Chowrangi.

"Protesters moving towards Numaish Chowrangi broke windowpanes of one of the cars parked outside Recorder House," Soldier Bazaar SHO Irshad Soomro told The Express Tribune. The protesters also used tyres to block the road during the protest and attempted to close the shops in Electronics Market, causing panic in the locality. The market was immediately closed by shopkeepers. However, no major untoward incident occurred.

Unknown offenders

The protesters claimed that the mob perpetrating acts of violence in the city was not associated with them. "Some members of banned outfits who were covering their faces had joined us and started trouble, which was also attracting others to join them," said Saleem Noor, a leader of the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek. "I even caught such a man but he managed to escape before I could hand him over to the police," he said.

Traffic diversion

Due to the massive traffic jam, particularly on MA Jinnah Road and the roads leading to it, the traffic police have created traffic diversions for commuters from Peoples Chowrangi and Soldier Bazaar localities.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2016.