KARACHI – Hundreds of Lyari residents marched towards the Chief Minister’s House on Monday afternoon after a People’s Amn Committee activist – under treatment at the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) after being critically wounded in crossfire between two groups in Moosa Lane, Lyari on February 12 – succumbed to his injuries earlier in the morning.
Apart from the Amn Committee activist Jamshaid, an activist of the Kutchi Rabita Committee had also been killed in the skirmish and the Kutchi community had also protested their member’s death. Eight others, including two Amn Committee workers, were also wounded. The condition of Jamshaid’s associate, Zakir, son of Zahid Hussain, was also said to be precarious.
As the news of Jamshaid’s death spread, tension prevailed in many localities of Lyari. Thousands gathered at the Lea Market to offer funeral prayer of the deceased. Enraged participants of the funeral then marched towards the Chief Minister’s House to record their protest against the killing. Holding flags of the PPP and placards of slain party chairpersons Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, the protesters sought the early arrest of culprits.
As the protestors’ procession reached Shaheen Complex near II Chundrigar Road, Saddar TPO Irshad Ali Sehar tried to prevent the rally from proceeding ahead, but the motorcyclists moved forward by removing all hurdles. The ensuing chaos caused a massive traffic gridlock at the II Chundrigar Road intersection, with traffic remaining suspended for hours. TPO Sehar said the police tried to stop protesters from proceeding towards the Chief Minister’s House, but despite all efforts, the police could not stop Lyari residents from proceeding.
The enraged protestors, however, ran into Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza near the Polo Ground, who requested them not to proceed ahead. The home minister listened to their grievances and assured them of early arrest of those responsible for the murder. The protesting people were of the view that PPP activists and workers were insecure in their own government.
Mirza said some anti-PPP forces are trying to destabilise Lyari’s peace by creating distances and discords between two of the old area’s traditional communities. He said the present government would not allow anyone to divide the PPP vote bank in Lyari, and requested the Baloch and Kutchi communities to gather round the party’s flag to combat all conspiracies.
The protesters returned home after Mirza’s assurances. Later, the home minister discussed the Lyari situation with Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, who hurriedly summoned the elected representatives from Lyari and directed them to play due roles in establishing peace in their area. In a meeting attended by Mirza, Sindh Katchi Abadis and Spatial Development Minister Rafiq Engineer, MNA Abdul Qadir Patel, Sindh MPA Saleem Hanguro and PPP Karachi President Najmi Alam, the chief minister reviewed the situation in Lyari.
Shah said that the residents of Lyari were being divided for destabilising PPP according to an anti-PPP conspiracy. He assured the participants that the present government would utilise all its resources for bringing peace in the town. Later, the chief minister convened another meeting with police high-ups in the Committee Room and ordered the Sindh inspector general of police to ensure peace in Lyari.
