Marches, sit-ins held across Sindh

Sindh police launched a crackdown on the workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) across the province on Wednesday, detaining scores of workers to thwart the sit-in protests which were planned for almost all districts in the province.

More than a dozen workers were arrested from Hyderabad where the central sit-in protest was planned to be held in the downtown city's Haider Chowk area. Large contingents of police were deployed at the site since the morning.

Although a few hundred workers of PTI including the party's lawyers' forum had gathered for the protest, the crowd thinned out by the evening and the remaining workers were dispersed by the police. According to police and PTI sources, Lala Ubaid Khan, Umair Niazi, Rehan Khan, Zuhaib and Adeel were rounded up from Insaf House in Latifabad No2.

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Separately, Abid Mehsood was detained from the SITE area, Syed Wjahat Ali from Pucca Qila, Abid Masood and Asad Mallah from Haider Chowk. Police surrounded the residence of PTI Hyderabad's leader and former PPP MPA Khawand Bux Jahejo in Tandojam.

However, neither Jahejo nor any other worker was arrested from his residence. PTI MNA Lal Malhi claimed that Umerkot district police have detained more than a hundred PTI workers.

He warned that if arrested PTI workers are not released, the party will call a shutter down strike in Umerkot. He told that the police started a baton charge on his party's workers when they reached outside Umerkot press club for a sit-in protest.

However, Malhi continued the sit-in. According to him, the rumours are being spread that negotiations are underway between the government and the PTI to indirectly discourage the people from taking to the streets. In Tharparkar a rally was taken out which ended at Kashmir Chowk.

The protesters also demanded release of the local workers including PTI Sindh's deputy general secretary Lajpat Sawarani who was reportedly among a dozen detained workers. The PTI workers in Matiari district claimed 20 workers have been detained.

In Thatta district, the police arrested the party's office bearers advocate Hosh Muhammad Abbassi and Ghulam Mustafa Chandio, among others. However, a rally was still taken out from the district bar association's office to SSP office.

A delegation of lawyers and PTI's workers met the SSP after which Abbassi was released. The police also picked up workers of PTI protesting outside Sanghar district's press club. The party claimed that seven of their workers including the local office bearer Mushtaq Junejo have been detained.

Sukkur police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse PTI supporters. PTI Sukkur activists alleged that around 100 workers including the local leaders Tahir Shah and Zaheer Babar Pervez have been rounded up. Police in Nawabshah sealed all the roads heading towards the intersection Sheeraz Chowk and arrested three workers including Farooq Chandio, Qazi Nadeem and Gul Muhammad Keerio arrested.