Protests held over Imran’s possible arrest

Over two dozen arrested as police resort to aerial firing, shelling

KARACHI:

Police arrested at least two dozen supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after a series of organised and sporadic protests broke out in Karachi on Tuesday.

PTI supporters blocked roads and disrupted traffic in several areas of the city following party chief Imran Khan’s call for a nationwide protest against efforts to arrest him. The call came as police and PTI supporters engaged in battles outside Imran’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

PTI’s Karachi chapter said that they held protests at at least 18 locations around the city. This resulted in temporary closures of key routes and thoroughfares in several areas including Teen Talwar and Shaheen Complex in South district, Hyderi, the 4K Stop and Five Star roundabouts in Central district, Mauripur Road in West district, the Hub River Road, and Landhi’s Dawood roundabout.

It resulted in long queues and traffic spillover, leaving commuters agitated and stranded.

Pitched battles

Protesters gathered at Hassan Square in district East till late night after having dispersed earlier following shelling and aerial firing by the police. Chaotic scenes were also witnessed near the Five Star roundabout with police using force to disperse protesters.

In both instances, people attacked police with stones. The situation resulted in pitched battles between protesters and police with commuters trapped in between. Visuals from the scene showed people abandoning their vehicles to escape the shelling.

There were protests of varying intensity at Qayyumabad and Rashid Minhas Road areas, including protesters burning tyres to barricade roads. The Star Gate area which falls in Faisal Cantonment and leads to the airport also witnessed a protest that was cleared shortly. There were protests at the Al-Asif Square, a PTI stronghold and the main route leading to the highway.

The road to Numaish was re-opened for traffic after police dispersed protesters who had blocked the road.

PTI said its MPA Shahnawaz Jadoon along with activists were arrested during a protest at the Native Jetty Bridge.

Traffic disrupted, commuters stranded

The flow of traffic was badly disrupted on key thoroughfares after protesters barricaded roads with trucks and burning tyres.

The protests began around 6pm with people going home from work stranded for hours at various locations including Hassan Square, University Road and Qayyumabad. The area around Baloch Colony witnessed a massive logjam.

PTI Sindh in a statement said that similar protests would take place across Sindh, with protesters shutting down the highway near Hyderabad and the Tanda Allahyar bypass.

A protest was planned outside the Thatta Press Club while protests took place outside press clubs in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Shikarpur, Naushehro Feroze and Ghotki.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2023.