One dead, several injured as police baton charge MQM-P rally in Karachi

KARACHI:

At least one person was killed and several others injured while many taken into custody on Wednesday after police resorted to baton-charge and shelling on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) workers protesting against the recently passed amendments to the Sindh Local Government Act of 2013 in Karachi.

According to the MQM-P media cell, the police baton-charged the protesters and fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators outside the CM House.

It said that many women workers, as well as members of provincial and national assemblies, got injured due to the baton-charge, adding that some members were arrested despite being seriously injured.

Senior leader of MQM-P MNA Kishwar Zahra was also injured in the clash with police and was taken to hospital for treatment, according to the party’s media cell.

A spokesperson of MQM-Pakistan confirmed in a statement that one of the workers, Aslam, who was injured by police baton-charge and shelling, succumbed to his wounds during treatment.

Aslam, a joint organiser of 5K Chowrangi chapter of the party who was injured in today's protest, was taken to Jinnah Hospital, where he breathed his last.

Federal Minister for Information, Technology, and Telecommunication and MQM-P spokesperson Syed Aminul Haq said that Commissioner Karachi had contacted them.

He said that many women and children got injured due to the shelling by police on participants of the peaceful sit-in.

Police later cleared the area outside CM House and arrested many protesters including MQM-P workers.

Zahid Mansoori, a member of MQM-Pakistan’s Rabita (coordination) Committee, said that their sit-in was peaceful. “The people have suffered due to traffic jams but we are protesting for them. We will continue our peaceful struggle,” he said.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman telephoned MQM-P leader Amir Khan and condemned today’s incident.

According to MQM-P spokesman, Fazl, who also heads an anti-PTI government opposition alliance – PDM – expressed deep sorrow over demise of one MQM worker and injuries to many others. He also condemned the brutal violence against women, children and members of provincial and national assemblies.

On Thursday, a delegation of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) will visit the MQM-Pakistan headquarters and offer condolences on the martyrdom of the worker, according to the statement.

Police baton charge MQM-P protesters in Karachi. SCREENGRAB

Earlier, thousands of commuters were stuck on the city's main thoroughfare – Sharae Faisal – after the party activists blocked both sides of the road while protesting against the PPP-led Sindh government.

An hours-long gridlock was reported on the port city's main artery and surrounding areas, with ambulances, commuters and other vehicles at a standstill as protestors marched towards the Karachi Press Club from FTC.

However, the destination was changed by party leaders as the protesters reached Chief Minister House, where a sit-in was staged.

Other areas affected by the protest were Saddar, Hotel Metropole, I.I Chundrigar, Press Club road, Kala Pul and airport road.

The logjam also severely disrupted the route taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) by patients and attendees.

Traffic police were unable to resolve the traffic situation and some vehicle owners reportedly ran out of fuel while waiting for the traffic to start moving.

Frustrated citizens said political parties should not protest on the main thoroughfares of the city and urged Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to take action against such activities.

Citizens asked if the issue of the local body law will be resolved by blocking the city's traffic and said such acts only cause helplessness among the people of the port city.

‘Protest a bid to divert attention from real issues’

Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani, while talking to The Express Tribune, said the opposition parties, including MQM-P, who were protesting against the local government bill, wanted to divert attention from the real public issues.

"The biggest problems at the moment are the gas crisis, the monthly rise in electricity tariffs, the sharp rise in medicine prices and inflation," he added.

Ghani questioned why the MQM-P did not protest against the federal government on public issues, adding that the issue of the local government bill will be resolved in the provincial assembly, not on the streets.

"It is not right to harass people on the streets... PPP believes in solving problems in a democratic manner."

Ghani said that PPP was not against demonstrations but Pakistan Super League (PSL) was about to begin and there were "security concerns".

"We had asked MQM-P to protest in front of Karachi Press Club but they did not listen... due to security concerns, the administration took action," he added.

'Governor's rule only option'

PTI's Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman, while condemning the Sindh government, said that “pro-democratic forces” were being punished for protesting against the local government bill.

He questioned why the police did not use such tactics on criminal elements, adding that the PPP government was using the force for "political hooliganism".

Khurram said “Governor's rule” was the only option left against the behaviour of Sindh government.

Opposition parties in Sindh have been protesting against the new amendments to the local body law for weeks now. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has been holding a sit-in in front of the Sindh Assembly for more than 27 days.

In December, the provincial assembly had passed the contentious Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2021 again, with a few amendments to the original draft. The bill was passed amidst the opposition parties' protest as their members tore apart copies of the agenda and created pandemonium during the assembly session, chaired by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.

Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar also took an exception to the use of brute force by the provincial government, saying, “The dictatorial style of government of the PPP in the guise of democracy is highly reprehensible”.

The Constitution of Pakistan, he maintained, gave citizens the right to peaceful protest, adding that the PPP's approach to suppressing dissent through the use of force was shameful.

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also denounced the Sindh government's “bullying”.

“At a time when an event like PSL was about to take place, there was no justification for the violent incident. The PTI Sindh leadership is closely monitoring the situation and all our support is with the MQM,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.

‘Black day’

Later, while addressing an urgently-called press conference, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui announced that the party would observe Thursday as "black day" over the brutal treatment meted out to his party workers today.

He also demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan to get the Sindh IG removed via the provincial government.

Khalid also threatened PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to "tighten the noose around his chief minister otherwise Bilawal House is also located in this city".

"We do not want to fight, but you know very well that we do know how to fight... it is shameful not to fight if your honour is at stake," he added.

Khalid said that former Nazim of New Karachi Town lost his eye as a result of police shelling. "The racist chief minister should pray that the city doesn't rise or there could be severe consequences," he warned.

He said that if MQM-P's party workers are not released immediately then "they will be free to make their decisions".

The MQM-P convener also asked the prime minister to visit the city at the earliest. "The IG you have sent is more like a commissioner of Sindhu Desh."

Khalid also demanded Sindh Chief Minister Shah’s resignation, “otherwise the city’s doors will be shut on him”. Khalid also urged the students, industrialists and businessmen to raise their voices against the oppression by the provincial government.

Farooq Sattar meets old friends

Head of Reuniting MQM Committee Dr Farooq Sattar met with the MQM-P leaders at their Bahardurabad office and condemned today’s incident. Farooq, while terming the incident “unprecedented”, said that if the government can break the law then they also have the option to protest.

"Was Jamat-e-Islami's sit-in outside the red zone? The party which has a big mandate in this city was tortured today."

Former MQM-P leader said that one of workers from North Karachi Mohammad Aslam was killed due to police brutality. "For the honour of our mothers and sisters and despite difference, we're united."

He said that MPA Sadaqat Hussain was subjected to brutal torture and a public representative was dragged on the road by police.

Speaking on the occasion, MQM-P leader Amir Khan said that all parties are protesting against the Sindh Local Government Act except PPP. "We had only exercised our democratic right by staging a protest," he added.

He said that on one hand, the government was in touch with us via phone but on the other, the police were subjecting the protesters with brutal torture.

Amir said that the funeral prayers of the party's worker will be offered tomorrow and future strategy will be shared soon. He requested the traders' associations to support the MQM's “Black Day” tomorrow, adding that his party is staging the protest for the rights of Karachi and the livelihood of everyone is attached to this city.