ASWJ protests as party’s central leader attacked

Social activists claim this is a ploy to get security protocol back.

KARACHI: Workers, activists and supporters of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat staged a protest in Quaidabad on Sunday against the withdrawal of their party's central leader's security protocol.

They gathered at the Quaidabad roundabout around 4pm and blocked the road by burning tyres.

The men came out on the streets in protest after their party's central leader Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqui was attacked on his way home after attending an event near Korangi's Zia Colony. Unidentified miscreants opened fire at him and his entourage opposite Swedish College. Farooqui managed to escape unhurt.

Following the incident, Farooqui told party workers that the government had withdrawn his security protocol a few days ago.

The ASWJ leader used to have a police protocol with one police mobile and eight men. This was taken away from him following a protest led by social activists, Jibran Nasir, Khurram Zia and others during the first week of February outside Chief Minister House in Karachi. The protesters shouted slogans against the government and the social activists.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Zia said that the party had 'faked' the attack on its leader to get his security protocol back.

No case has been registered against the attack on Farooqui till the filing of this report. "No one approached us or any hospital," said Quaidabad DSP Fakharul Islam. "We are investigating the case to ascertain the authenticity of the attack."

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2015.