House-count irregularities: Nationalists go on strike in protest
Shops closed, tyres burnt, traffic suspended.
SUKKUR/HYDERABAD/KARACHI:
Protesters pelted cars with stones and burnt tyres during a strike Saturday called by Sindh Census Monitoring Committee, a watchdog formed by Sindhi nationalist parties. They derided the government for “ignoring irregularities during the housing census”.
The Awami Tehreek led by its president, Ayaz Latif Palijo, and its women’s wing, Sindhiani Tehreek, organised separate sit-ins. Sindhiani Tehreek activists burnt tyres at Hyder Chowk in Hyderabad, while in Sukkur, they organised a sit-in at Clock Tower.
All educational institutes were closed and many scheduled conferences had to be delayed. Residents were angry to find petrol pumps also shut down.
Small groups pelted vehicles with stones at the Sukkur and Hyderabad bypasses. A truck on Hyderabad Bypass and a wagon at Alamdar Chowk, Qasimabad, were set on fire, while windowpanes of over a dozen vehicles were shattered with stones and clubs.
Political activists forced shops to shut down in Old Sukkur, Minara Road, Clock Tower, Barrage Road, Bunder Road and Miani Road. Protesters also overturned a fruit vendor’s cart on Racecourse Road.
The police and Rangers detained at least 12 people from Hyderabad for vandalism.
Except for Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts, the strike was observed in Jamshoro, Matiari, Thatta, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Nawabshah, Umerkot and Dadu. The nationalist parties demand the federal government annul the house census.
The count process should be restarted after the teams promise to ensure that houses are not falsely registered and ‘irrelevant’ and untrained staff is not included, the protesters said.
At least three vehicles were set ablaze in Karachi, while protesters blocked traffic. A heavy contingent of police and Rangers were deployed in different areas to avoid violence. Interestingly, they were categorically against handing over the count to the armed forces.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2011.
Protesters pelted cars with stones and burnt tyres during a strike Saturday called by Sindh Census Monitoring Committee, a watchdog formed by Sindhi nationalist parties. They derided the government for “ignoring irregularities during the housing census”.
The Awami Tehreek led by its president, Ayaz Latif Palijo, and its women’s wing, Sindhiani Tehreek, organised separate sit-ins. Sindhiani Tehreek activists burnt tyres at Hyder Chowk in Hyderabad, while in Sukkur, they organised a sit-in at Clock Tower.
All educational institutes were closed and many scheduled conferences had to be delayed. Residents were angry to find petrol pumps also shut down.
Small groups pelted vehicles with stones at the Sukkur and Hyderabad bypasses. A truck on Hyderabad Bypass and a wagon at Alamdar Chowk, Qasimabad, were set on fire, while windowpanes of over a dozen vehicles were shattered with stones and clubs.
Political activists forced shops to shut down in Old Sukkur, Minara Road, Clock Tower, Barrage Road, Bunder Road and Miani Road. Protesters also overturned a fruit vendor’s cart on Racecourse Road.
The police and Rangers detained at least 12 people from Hyderabad for vandalism.
Except for Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts, the strike was observed in Jamshoro, Matiari, Thatta, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Nawabshah, Umerkot and Dadu. The nationalist parties demand the federal government annul the house census.
The count process should be restarted after the teams promise to ensure that houses are not falsely registered and ‘irrelevant’ and untrained staff is not included, the protesters said.
At least three vehicles were set ablaze in Karachi, while protesters blocked traffic. A heavy contingent of police and Rangers were deployed in different areas to avoid violence. Interestingly, they were categorically against handing over the count to the armed forces.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2011.