JSQM shuts down most of Sindh in protest against government

Party called the strike on the pretext of a ‘fake’ report against chairperson Bashir Qureshi.

SUKKUR:

In the wake of a call for a complete shutter down by the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), most districts of Sindh along with Karachi observed a strike on Tuesday.

The JSQM had called for a strike on the pretext of a ‘fake’ report against their chairperson, Bashir Qureshi, issued by the Sindh government. “It was a peaceful strike and not a single bullet or cracker exploded,” said JSQM vice-chairperson Dr Niaz Kalani. “The response of the people proved that Sindh government’s seriousness towards the investigation of Bashir Khan Qureshi’s murder is fake.”



Dr Kalani added that despite the peaceful strike, the police arrested dozens of party workers from different cities, including Hyderabad, Mehar, Jamshoro and New Saeedabad. Several areas in Karachi that are dominated by JSQM remained closed till afternoon while a partial strike was observed in other areas. Except a few cities, almost all small and district headquarters were deserted in lower Sindh, including Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Mithi, Badin, Thatta, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar and others.

The traffic on National and Superhighway was comparatively thin. Most of the cities of lower Sindh remained completely shutdown till afternoon while the attendance in government and private offices was also affected due to the attacks on vehicles by the activists of the party.

Scores of public and private vehicles were damaged on main roads around Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas, Tando Muhammad Khan and Thatta. The JSQM workers also set on fire tyres early in the morning in different areas of the province. Most of the districts, including Sukkur, Rohri, Pano Akil, Ghotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Daharki, Ubaoro, Kashmore, Khandhkot, Thull, Tangwani, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Naushero Feroze, Larkana, Qamber Shahdadkot and Dadu, observed either complete or partial shutdown.

In Sukkur, a partial shutter down strike was observed, other than a few markets main businesses continued normally.



Reports from Khairpur suggested that in the morning as soon as the shopkeepers started opening their shops, JSQM workers took to the streets and forced the  shopkeepers to close down their shops. At some places scuffle took place between the police and the party workers, while the police managed to arrest at least 10 workers. Later, scores of workers led by the general secretary, Amjad Mahesar, staged protests outside the A-section police station demanding release of their arrested workers.

In Daharki, JSQM workers led by their taluka president, Rafiq Shar, organised a rally and forced the shopkeepers at Dahar Wah Chowk to close their shops. A scuffle took place between the workers and shopkeepers in which Rafiq Shar was injured. Meanwhile in Kandhkot, the JSQM workers led by Dado Jakhrani, Akram Bachkani and others took to the streets, fired gunshots in the air, the shopkeepers harassed and in panic pulled their shutters down.

Reports from Naushahro Feroze said that the JSQM workers had distributed pamphlets on Monday night asking the shopkeepers to not open markets on Tuesday morning. A complete shutter down strike was observed throughout Larkana district, which happens to be the native place of Bashir Qureshi. However, no untoward incident was reported from any of these districts other than a some minor rifts.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2013.