All parties have right to hold rally in Karachi, says Nisar

MQM leader claims local residents had attacked PTI’s camp, not their party workers

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Saturday that every political party, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) should have the right to hold rallies in Karachi, Express News reported.

The minister ordered IG Sindh and chief secretary to ensure the safety of participants and workers of PTI at their rallies, adding that attacks on PTI’s rallies and camp offices is against the spirit of democracy.

Rangers would be deployed during the NA-246 by-elections at the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan, added Nisar.

His statement came a day after Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) workers attacked and uprooted PTI’s election camp office in the Kareemabad area of Karachi.

Read: MQM workers attack PTI's election camp in Karachi

On the other hand, MQM leader Kunwar Naveed Jamil, while addressing a press conference Saturday evening, claimed that local residents had attacked the PTI camp, and not MQM workers.

He further claimed that Sections of the ATC were included in the FIR filed against the attack on PTI’s election camp.

Dispelling reports that those arrested after the attack were party workers, Jamil said local residents and shop owners were arrested by the police.

Read: Standoff: Supporters come face to face again

Both MQM and PTI are facing each other in by-elections for NA-246 in Karachi. The seat of NA-246 fell vacant after Nabil Gabol, who was elected on MQM’s ticket during general elections 2013, resigned last month, after developing differences with the party.

NA-246 has been traditionally an MQM seat and the party has won every election they have contested from there.

Meanwhile, on the surety of MQM leaders, seven men arrested for attacking the PTI office in Kareemabad Friday night were released by police on Saturday.

A case was registered against them under Sections 147, 148, 149 and 337A of the Pakistan Penal Code as well as Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) at Gulberg police station.

The ATA clause, which was included in the FIR for putting the PTI flag on fire, was also removed from the report. Families of the arrested had staged a protest outside the police station, claiming the detained were innocent.