KARACHI: Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) staged a ‘million march’ in Karachi whereas Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) took out a rally against K-Electric (KE) on Sunday.
According to details, the PSP carried out a rally in order to get their 16 demands met.
PSP’s rally which started from Shahrah-e-Faisal was supposed to conclude ‘peacefully’ at the Chief Minister House but police started shelling tear gas at protesters to stop them from reaching the Chief Minister House and took into custody Pak Sarzameen Party leaders Mustafa Kamal, Raza Haroon and Dr Sagheer.
PSP Chairman Kamal said that the party workers had not entered Red Zone. At the time of his arrest, further adding that police is taking him into custody for demanding water for the children of Karachi.
According to police sources, authorities are considering to press charges against the party’s leadership comprising anti-terrorism clauses.
Raza Haroon and Dr Sagheer were shifted in a prison van after being taken into custody by the police authorities. PSP leader Advocate Anis has also been taken into custody.
Police also arrested more than 10 party workers. Anees Qaimkhani was hit by water canon, although party workers, later on, surrounded him to save him from any harm.
Police also used water cannon to disperse the crowd gathered near Aisha Bawany College.
The party had also invited leaders of Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan to attend the rally.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami’s held a rally against the power distribution company from Sakhi Hasan till Five-Star Chowrangi.
PSP Chief Mustafa Kamal and JI Karachi wing President Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, speaking to media, stated that both parties have come on the same page for resolving the issues of the provincial capital.
Interior minister condemns detainment of PSP leaders
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned the detainment of the PSP leaders. Nisar said the action against a peaceful political rally is completely illogical.
Police sources informed that more than 20 people have been taken into custody and shifted within the remits of Artillery Maidan police station.
Earlier, the talks between Pak Sarzameen Party and Pakistan Peoples`Party failed to reach a breakthrough.
The PSP representatives said that the party would only re-enter into negotiations only when the authorities let its protestors gather outside the Chief Minister House. The four-member PPP delegation; included Murtaza Wahab, Rashid Rabbani and Waqar Mehdi and was led by Sindh Health Minister Dr Sikandar Ali Mandhro.
The negotiations were held near Aisha Bawany Academy.
Section 144 imposed:
The provincial government has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Karachi’s Red Zone just hours ahead of the march to the Chief Minister’s House.
As per the imposed section of the law, the assembly of more than 4 people in an area is prohibited.
PSP Chairman Mustafa Kamal had said on Saturday that it is likely that the march would be attended by ‘one million’ people.
Kamal had previously criticised the government role during the party’s 18-day sit-in outside the Karachi Press Club. He said that the government did not try to resolve issues, instead, it tried to ‘befool people,’ he had said at a press conference on Saturday.
At the time, Kamal had said that the city’s Red Zone where the Governor House, CM House, Sindh Assembly are located are not a sacrosanct place where people could not lodge their protest.
No ‘Red Zone’ for the public:
Earlier, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) President Anis Qaimkhani said that there is no ‘Red Zone’ for the public. We will come out on the streets no matter what for the sake of our children’s future.
He expressed these views, while addressing the media, at his party’s protest camp at Shahrah-e-Faisal.
Speaking to the media, Qaimkhani claimed they had obtained permission for their rally. “Come 6 pm they [Sindh government] won’t know what hit them as hundreds of thousands will be out on the streets.”
[…] PAKISTAN TODAY […]
Comments are closed.