PTI vs PPP: Karachi rally ground turns into battlefield

Workers clash over use of venue on same day; 12 injured, two cars, several motorcycles set ablaze

KARACHI: Panic and tension gripped the Gulshan-e-Iqbal area of Karachi after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers clashed with each other over holding a political gathering on the same day (May 12) at the Hakeem Saeed Shaheed Ground.

About a dozen people were wounded as the two groups attacked each other with sticks, stones, and even guns. Of the inured, two, including one with a gunshot wound to his leg, were rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Aziz Bhatti police station SHO Humayun Ahmed and journalists were also among the injured.

Two cars and several motorcycles parked outside the ground were also set ablaze. The windows of many cars parked outside the ground were also shattered.

Rangers and police reinforcements reached the site to control the situation. Massive traffic jams were witnessed at University Road and its adjoining areas.

University Road from Nipa to Hassan Square was closed for vehicular traffic, while most restaurants, shops and petrol pumps were also closed early.

Not a single arrest was reported till the time this report was filed.

Taking notice of the issue, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said, “The PPP has a no-objection certificate obtained from the concerned DC for organising the gathering at the ground.”

He said, “It is not reasonable of PTI to try and encroach upon the venue and use force to hold its own gathering.”

He said that it was tantamount to creating a law and order situation in the city. “The government will foil all conspiracies being hatched to derail peace in Karachi,” he added.



CM Shah had called Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal to mobilise the police in order to control the situation.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Ali Zaidi said, “PPP leader Najmi Alam was leading the miscreants.”

Faisal Wada and the home minister reached the venue and successfully defused the escalating situation.

Earlier, PPP District East President Mohammad Iqbal Sandh said, “The PPP will organise a public gathering at the Hakeem Saeed Shaheed Ground [situated] between the [Federal] Urdu University and Baitul Mukarram Mosque on May 12. Chairman of PPP Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the CM Sindh and other senior leaders of the party will address the gathering.”

See the real face of #PTI terorrist they are throughing Stones on peaceful #PPP worker shame on PTI #KarachiRejectsPTI #Karachi @Majid_Agha @SyedNasirHShah @NazBaloch_ pic.twitter.com/F2etKMuAC0

— Malik Kamran Zil (@malikkamranzil) May 7, 2018

PTI leaders, who opposed the PPP’s plan of holding the gathering, had already set-up camps inside the jalsa ground.

PTI Karachi Division President Firdous Shamim Naqvi insisted that it was not the PPP, but the PTI that had planned to organise a public gathering there. He said he had informed the PPP leaders, including Senator Saeed Ghani, a few days ago.

“We knew that the PPP was to organise a gathering in Baldia [Town]. This was why we opted for this ground,” he said, asking the PPP to reconsider its decision of holding the political gathering in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and allow the PTI to hold its event.

Inept at governance as much as it is at law enforcement, the Sindh Rangers have to step in to restore peace @SaeedGhani1@BBhuttoZardari#کراچی_مانگے_انصاف pic.twitter.com/WOz3yHUXZp

— PTI Karachi Official (@PTI_KHI) May 7, 2018

“If the PPP does not [reconsider its decision], we will organise our event on the University Road at all costs,” warned Naqvi.

The PTI leaders had filed an application on May 6, asking the DC East for permission to hold a political event at the same ground.

Speaking at a press conference, PPP’ Karachi Division President Saeed Ghani said the PPP had asked the district administration if any other function was being organised by anybody else in the mentioned ground.

PHOTO: PPI

“The DC confirmed that the ground was vacant [on the date] and no other party had filed any application for a public gathering. Subsequently, we wrote to him and announced the event,” he said, adding that the PTI was unnecessarily creating a controversy over the issue.

“The PTI [did] inherit some elements from the MQM who want to create law and order [situation] in the city. It is our right to organise this event and we will not back down,” he asserted.

What a shameful act by PPP

So called “Champions of Democracy” showing their fascist mindset #کراچی_مانگے_انصاف pic.twitter.com/f1UyXKcSrO

— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 7, 2018

Leaders of both the parties were in the ground, making preparations for their respective public meetings.

“PPP leaders had filed their application on May 4 … the PTI approached on May 6. So, we decided to allow the PPP to organise the event,” a senior official in the DC Office East said.

At the police station, @KhurrumZamanPTI , @AliHZaidiPTI and @HaleemAdil work hard to get an FIR filed.#کراچی_مانگے_انصاف pic.twitter.com/MwS0bsKSyy

— PTI Karachi Official (@PTI_KHI) May 7, 2018

But PTI leader Arif Alvi criticised the decision, saying, “The DC is a PPP Jiyala. This is why he is favouring the PPP.”

May 12 is observed as black day to commemorate violent clashes in Karachi in 2007. The armed clashes involving the workers of various political parties had claimed several lives in the city that day.