At least nine people were killed and more than 13 vehicles torched in Karachi and Hyderabad on Saturday as the entire Sindh went on complete strike on a call given by nationalist parties against the imposition of the local government system in the province.
The Save Sindh Committee (SSC) alleged that the imposition of the local government system was an attempt to divide Sindh on administrative grounds. Activists of Sindh nationalist parties – Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), Jeay Sindh Tehreek, Sindh United Party, Sindh National Front, Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party and the Awami Tehreek took out rallies in various cities of the province. All districts of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana, Mirpurkha, Thatta, Badin, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Umer Kot, Jamshoro, Kotri, Dadu, Sehwan, Khairpur, Naoshehro Feroz, Nawab Shah and Mithi expressed anger against the government’s attempts to put Sindh under two systems and then to restore the local government system in the province. The Awami National Party (ANP), National People’s Party (NPP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Sunni Tehreek and Balochistan National Party (Awami) also took part in the strike.
Meanwhile, firing was reported in many areas of Karachi. Three of the seven men killed were shot dead in Nazimabad, two in Pak Colony, and one each in Kemari and Bin Qasim. An ANP Sindh spokesman said a hotel and a unit office of the party had been attacked in Nazimabad. Two people were reportedly killed in violence in Hyderabad.
Violent Sindh strike claims 9 lives
