In a bizarre bid to control protesters in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, the Aziz Bhatti police on Monday deceived Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists into helping them disperse people agitating against the Awami National Party (ANP).
In the whole episode witnessed by Pakistan Today, the police official concerned called up the nearby MQM unit office for help, after failing to convince peaceful protesters staging a demonstration against an armed attack by ANP activists in Shanti Nagar. Within a short while, armed men in four vehicles reached the spot and opened straight firing at the protesters, dispersing them.
Fortunately, the police’s bid to fan ethnic riots could not succeed.
Earlier at around 7:00 pm, a youth named Abdul Ghaffar Lund, while on his way home, had an altercation with Aleem, younger brother of Saleem Dad – reportedly an ANP activist, also involved in criminal activities.
Aleem called up his friends to come to his help. Soon, a group of eight armed men led by Faik Khan arrived at the Jamali Shopping Centre in Sindhi Mohalla, Shanti Nagar and opened indiscriminate firing at people busy in preparing for iftar.
At least two persons were injured. One passer by, identified as Fattah Ali Soomro, a Pakistan Navy official, and another bystander Nazeer Mugheri, suffered serious bullet wounds.
Fattah, who suffered a bullet in his upper torso, was taken to the PNS Shifa by his brother Dr Pyar Ali Soomro. His condition was stated to be precarious and was admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Nazeer, with multiple bullets in his lower torso, was shifted to the Aga Khan University Hospital.
Moreover, the gunmen had also kidnapped Jalil Ahmed Soomro, son of Khalil Ahmed Soomro, who is Sindh Food Minister Mir Nadir Magsi’s private secretary. Jalil was released after being severely tortured for two hours.
After iftar, hundreds of residents gathered at the shopping centre inquiring about the incident and decided to lodge a protest by blocking the University Road. They marched towards the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology and blocked traffic by torching tyres on the main road.
Dozens of policemen, led by Aziz Bhatti SHO Chaudhry Arshad reached the spot to pacify the protesters. However, they refused to listen to the law enforcers and demanded government authorities to assure strict action against the criminals.
Meanwhile, the Aziz Bhatti SHO phoned someone and said: “ANP ne road band kar diya hai, aap log ajao aur inko sambhalo” (ANP has blocked the road, you should come and handle the situation).
After the phone call, the police vehicles left the scene and four vehicles surrounded the protesters. Armed men inside the vehicles resorted to straight firing at the demonstrators. The panic, allegedly created by the MQM Bagh-e-Rizwan Unit, resulted in bullet injuries to two people. The protesters vented their anger by ransacking passing vehicles.
Within a few minutes, a large number of Rangers personnel reached the spot and held negotiations with the protesters, who then dispersed peacefully.
Sindh Food Minister’s secretary Khalil told Pakistan Today that some ANP activists have made the lives of the people miserable, as cell phone snatching, robberies and extortion have become the order of the day.
The notables of the area and the Shanti Nagar Welfare Association representatives have time and again approached the police for action against the criminals, but the police are patronising with ANP’s drug dealer Shah Rukh Khan and his associates, he added.
