PTI membership camp in Malir ransacked, workers beaten up

Unidentified men beat up two workers, security guard, ripped up posters and banners

KARACHI: Tension escalated in Malir on Saturday after a group of unidentified men attacked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) membership camp in RCD Ground, an area dominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

A group of unidentified men with sticks and batons attacked the PTI’s membership camp and beat up a security guard and at least two workers of the party while also damaging the membership camp and removing banners and posters.

“Our security guard and at least two workers were beaten up by a group of unidentified men,” claimed PTI leader Imran Ismail. “They also damaged our membership camp and removed posters and banners.”

The membership camp is to be visited by PTI Chairperson Imran Khan today (Sunday) evening and the PTI workers and supporters were busy preparing to welcome their party chief when the incident took place. Ismail said that the area is dominated by the PPP. “This Malir area where the incident took place is not dominated by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement but is dominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party,” he said. “We are not sure but we suspect that men from the PPP could be behind the incident as they have done something similar with us at the Hakeem Saeed Ground in Gulshan-e-Iqbal recently.”



He said that the party has increased the number of workers and volunteers at the membership camp to avoid any untoward incident in the near future.

Karachi witnessed a major clash between the workers of the PTI and PPP at the Hakeem Saeed Ground over their May 12 rally venue, which resulted is violence from both sides. Though both parties had approached the Aziz Bhatti police station to register counter FIRs against each other, however, the police registered a case against both parties’ workers and leaders as well as unidentified persons for disturbing the law and order situation. According to the police, about a dozen people from both sides, including the SHO of the Aziz Bhatti station, Humayun Ahmed, were injured while the camps of both parties and at least three vehicles were also set on fire during the clash.

The Malir police have chalked out an extensive security plan for the PTI membership camp today and for the arrival of Imran. “Nothing can be said about who the attackers were,” said Saudabad SHO Shahrukh Shaikh. “But we are trying to trace and arrest the suspects who attacked the camp.”

The officer said that a security plan has been devised for today and according to the plan, more than 400 police officials and personnel will perform security duties at the ground while officials and personnel will also conduct snap-checking and patrol in over 20 police mobiles. Traffic police and Rangers will also be deployed to avoid any untoward incidents.



The PPP has, however, strongly condemned the attack on the PTI camp. “Our leadership does not believe in the violent politics,” said PPP leader Waqar Mehdi. “The area where the incident occurred is not a PPP dominated area. PTI is [known for] violent politics and they should find the miscreants within their party or others who [dominate] the area.”