One ANP man’s arrest, misery for many in Keamari

KARACHI – Socio-economic activities in Keamari were suspended for hours on Wednesday after activists of a political party blocked the roads to protest the arrest of their colleague. The transportation of trade cargo at the Karachi port came to a halt when angry protesters belonging to the ANP took to streets in the afternoon and blocked the main MA Jinnah Road.
The forced cut in supply route slowed down the pace of cargo handling at the port with Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) being hit hard. Dozens of oil tankers and other heavy vehicles laden with containers were seen queued up after being warned of danger ahead by the, seemingly, helpless law enforcers.
Traffic chaos was also witnessed within the port vicinity with the police seen diverting passenger and cargo vehicles towards the city at the MA Jinnah Bridge. “There is no way forward and the protesters are firing in the air,” a traffic police officer was heard telling the drivers.
The blockade created panic among the commuters while many students were seen standing by the roadside in a state of uncertainty. “They [police] say the road is blocked ahead and people are firing. I don’t know how and when will I reach home,” said Amir Shehzad, an Intermediate first year student of Sindh Madressatul Islam College, while talking to this scribe at the spot.
Another student, Zahid Sultan was concerned about the uncertain law and order situation on his way back home. “My parents are worried that I am stuck here… I don’t know what to do,” he said. Several protesters were seen wandering around holding batons and denying passage to commuters.”The police have arrested one of our men but he is innocent,” a protester said.
A Keamari-based ANP activist, Rehmat said the police had arrested the party activists on accusation of drug peddling. When contacted, the nationalist party spokesman Qadir Khan told Pakistan Today that the protest was to condemn the arrest by the Jackson police of Samiullah of the ANP’s Keamari Ward.
“The police have locked up Samiullah and when approached did not quote any reasons for his arrest,” he claimed. The ANP spokesman said the release of the arrested man and an apology from the police ended the protest. However, Jackson SHO Chaudhry Muhammad Irshad said that Samiullah was detained for selling drugs in the area.
“We know he is a drug seller but we had to set him free today as no contraband recovered from him,” the officer told Pakistan Today. Asked if there was political pressure to release Samiullah, the SHO retorted, “No. We are under no such pressure.”