KARACHI: A religious group observing a sit-in in different areas of the metropolis continued for the second day on Sunday, after the start of a police crackdown on Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) protestors in Islamabad on Saturday (November 25).
Protestors of the religious group have occupied different areas of the city, including Numaish Chowrangi, Tower, Al-Asif Square, Orangi, Landhi and Hub River road. Other gatherings were seen at Nagan Chowrangi and Mausamiat, due to which most city roads remained blocked, thus leading to a traffic mess in the port city. In addition, Jauhar Chowrangi and Punjab Chowrangi were also occupied by protesters.
As a security measure, containers have been placed on the road leading to Governor House and the road from Teen Hatti to Jehangir Road.
After talks with Rangers personnel, the protestors agreed to open the road from Tower to II Chundrigar Road. Due to this, traffic flow from Saddar to II Chundrigar was normalised earlier on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Shahrah-e-Faisal remained open for traffic on Sunday after it was closed till late Saturday due to ongoing protests and subsequent unrest. Traffic jams were witnessed on roads leading to Karimabad due to protests at Sohrab Goth.
At least 30 people were reported injured in different incidents across the metropolis on Saturday after supporters of religious parties took to the roads in response to the government’s operation against protesters gathered in the federal capital.
People injured in different incidents were shifted to Jinnah Hospital (27), while three were admitted to the Civil Hospital.
By Saturday afternoon much of the city had come to a standstill owing to protests on the city’s main artery Shahrah-e-Faisal near Star Gate, where police resorted to teargas shelling.
Protests were also held at Jillani Centre near Tower (Hasan Square), Shaheed-e-Millat Expressway. Protestors gathered at Al-Asif Square had blocked the main road link between the twin cities of Karachi and Hyderabad.
On the other hand, in a statement issued on Saturday, Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Director General Major General Muhammad Saeed said that the paramilitary force had been deployed in the metropolitan to keep law and order situation under control. He pledged to safeguard the lives and properties of all citizens.
Due to the ongoing protests, train services from the port city to interior Sindh were suspended for some time and restored later. Thousands of passengers remained stranded at different railway stations after services were discontinued around 1pm.
