JI, PPP supporters clash during Karachi mayoral election
Fierce confrontation erupts as PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters clash outside the Arts Council after the mayoral election in Karachi. PHOTO: INP
Several people were detained and at least four were injured in violent clashes between supporters of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) during the Karachi mayoral election held at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi.
According to reports, JI and PPP workers gathered outside the Arts Council of Pakistan, chanting slogans during the mayoral election. Tensions escalated as the supporters from both parties engaged in a verbal confrontation, which quickly turned physical.
Punches were thrown, and stones were hurled, turning the vicinity of the Arts Council into a battleground. Four individuals sustained injuries during the violent clashes, and a vehicle's windows were smashed.
Law enforcement agencies, including police and rangers, swiftly intervened to bring the situation under control. The police directed JI workers towards Fawara Chowk and PPP workers towards Shaheen Complex, dispersing both groups.
South district's top cop DIG South Irfan Baloch informed the media that police and Rangers successfully managed the situation through a well-planned strategy. Seven individuals have been detained, and two to three people sustained injuries.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2023.