KARACHI – Enraged protesters took to the streets and scuffled with police in Godhra Colony, New Karachi on Saturday to protest the murder of a prayer leader of the area. Adnan Qadri, the prayer leader at Rabbani Masjid in New Karachi, Sector 11-E, was gunned down by two unidentified men on a motorcycle on Friday night.
Qadri was believed to be an activist of the banned outfit Jamaatud Dawa. Following Qadri’s death, many people in Godhra Colony started firing in the air to protest the killing. A large number of residents gathered at the crime scene and resorted to vandalism to vent their anger. They not only set ablaze tyres, but also started torching public property.
A large number of law enforcers, headed by New Karachi Industrial Area SHO Aamir Hayat, rushed to the scene to bring the situation under control. But they were confronted by a mob that was prepared for them with sticks and stones. The protesters scuffled with the law enforcers, and the SHO suffered minor injuries on his head when he was hit by stones. The SHO later called for more police force and Rangers to handle the mob.
Later, police from all five police stations of the New Karachi Town arrived at the spot and managed to disperse the protesters.