ISO out to defeat America on MA Jinnah Road

Cops clash with protestors attempting to march towards US Consulate after Trumps anti-Pakistan statement last week

KARACHI: Numaish Chowrangi remained a battle ground for hours after hundreds of protesters under the umbrella of Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) clashed with a heavy contingent of law enforcers Sunday evening during a rally termed as 'Death to America'.

The rally's organisers condemned the stop put on the anti-United States (US) Tahafuz-e-Pakistan rally. Kazim Abbas, one of the senior organisers of the rally, said that putting hurdles in the rally by the government seems like the government is supporting the United States. "The government has crossed all levels of supporting US," Abbas added.

The mob turned to violence after the police attempted to stop them from marching towards the US Consulate in Karachi. The issue was later resolved after peaceful negotiations took place between the ISO leadership and senior police officials. Police also released the detained protesters following the peaceful negotiations.



On Friday night, the ISO leadership had announced in a press conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) that they would march towards the US Consulate in Karachi from Numaish Chowrangi.

Following their announcement, hundreds of activists had gathered at main Numaish Chowrangi on Sunday evening to join the protest.
Meanwhile, strict security measures were also taken by senior police officials as an extra contingent of law enforcers, particularly personnel of the District South police were already deputed on main Numaish Chowrangi in a bid to stop the protestors from marching towards the US Consulate.

The routes leading towards the US Consulate from Numaish Chowrangi were also blocked by barricades, causing massive traffic jams on the roads leading and surrounding the Numaish Chowrangi and MA Jinnah Road. Traffic police had, however, provided diversions to the commuters.



The situation became intense as the mob started marching towards the US Consulate from Numaish Chowrangi. Following the march, law enforcers attempted to stop the protestors which led to a clash between the protesters and police. Tipu Sultan police station SHO Shahzada Saleem was also injured during the clash which compelled the police to take action against the protesters.

Various Shia organisations, including Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Shia Ulema Council also came to support the ISO rally by giving statements in favour of ISO.

MWM Secretary-General Mesam Abidi also condemned the 'shelling' by police on the peaceful protesters participating in the 'America Murdabad' rally. He also demanded Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Mohammad Zubair take action against whoever gave the orders for the use of tear gas shells on the protesters.



Baton charging and the arrests of ISO workers by the government were similar to supporting the US government and Trump's recent controversial statement against Pakistan that Pakistan is a safe haven of terrorists, said Abidi. The police had detained nearly a dozen protesters during the clash.

Shia Ulema Council leader Nayyar Zaidi said that the protesters ended their protest after peaceful negotiations with senior police officials. "We have ended our protest," Zaidi confirmed.

"A few of our leaders will go to the US consulate on Monday (today) to submit a resolution," he said, adding that police has also released ten of their detained workers after the peaceful negotiations.

Meanwhile, the Karachi police spokesperson rejected all claims made against police by the protesters. He said that three other organisations were allowed to hold peaceful protests against Trump's statement last week.



"They [the three organisations] recorded their protest at KPC and dispersed peacefully," the police spokesperson said. However, ISO announced its rally from Numaish to the US Consulate.

Keeping the prevailing security threats and past history of violent protests at the consulate in view, the ISO leadership was asked to review their plan by police and its administration.

"They [the ISO leadership] were contacted again and again to convince them to hold their protest at KPC to avoid any untoward situation, but they did not accept," the spokesperson explained.

Around 300 people gathered at Numaish and proceeded towards the consulate. The spokesperson further said that the protestors were offered that a delegation of three to five persons can go and meet representative of the US Consulate and record ISO's protest, but they [the ISO leadership] said they would seek permission from their central command in Karachi and Lahore.

Meanwhile, some protestors still wanted to proceed and when police tried to stop them, people became violent and started attacking the law enforcers. The Tipu Sultan SHO was also injured by the protestors which compelled the police to take action by using water canon and tear gas shells to disperse them.