Sit-ins called off, traffic resumes

KARACHI:

Traffic and routine activities resumed on the city's main arteries after sit-ins at over half a dozen locations were called off by 3pm on Saturday.

A large number of people had gathered to protest the deadly bombing at the Karbala Maula Imambargah during Friday prayers in Shikarpur. The attack claimed 57 lives and wounded several others. Following the tragedy, a large number of people, including women and children, staged protests across Karachi under the umbrella of different Shia outfits, particularly Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM). Sit-ins were staged at seven main arteries of the city: Korangi, Five Star Chowrangi in North Nazimabad, Ancholi Society on Sharae Quaideen, Abbas Town on Abul Hassan Isphahani Road, Falak Naz Apartments near Airport, Malir 15 intersection and Numaish Chowrangi on main MA Jinnah Road.

MWM leaders condemned the Shikarpur incident and demanded that a military operation be launched in Sindh. "The sit-ins have been called off in the entire province," said MWM central deputy secretary-general Allama Hassan Zafar Naqvi. "The time has come to launch a military operation across the province."

The protests, which started from Friday evening, came to an end on Saturday noon after the burial of the victims of the Shikarpur brutality.

Meanwhile, a shutterdown and wheel-jam strike was observed in parts of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Nawabshah divisions. The nationalist parties, mainly Qaumi Awami Tehreek, also supported the call.

The protesters of MWM and some other religious groups also staged a sit-in on National Highway. "The rulers have failed to rein in terrorists," said Imdad Naseemi. Shia Ulema Council's provincial vice-president Allama Muhammad Ali Jarwar announced the council will protest on Sunday.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2015.