On Saturday, the city’s police used tear gas and baton charges against female employees of several political parties who were protesting against alleged election tampering in various parts of Karachi.
In addition to blocking roads leading to the Sindh Assembly, where newly elected members took the oath, a number of political parties, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamate-e-Islami (JI), and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), staged protests in various parts of the city.
In an attempt to prevent demonstrators from reaching the Sindh Assembly, the authorities blocked up a number of roads, including Shahrae Faisal, the city’s main thoroughfare. This action created traffic disruptions and hardship for commuters.
In response to several political parties’ protest announcements prior to the first session of the Sindh Assembly, the Sindh government enforced Section 144 in the southern area of the city on Friday in an effort to maintain law and order.
The Government of Sindh, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 144 (6) Cr.PC, hereby imposes a ban on public assembly, gatherings, protests, processions, and demonstrations in South Zone Karachi Division for a period of 30 days with immediate effect,” the provincial government said in a late-Friday notification.
In an effort to prevent demonstrators from congregating outside the Sindh Assembly, police blocked the main thoroughfare from three locations: Baloch Colony, Nursery, and FTC. This resulted in lengthy traffic lines on Shahrae Faisal.
While police used tear gas on protestors in an attempt to disperse them, fights broke out between law enforcement and political party activists as workers made their way to the meeting.
At least thirty demonstrators were arrested and batoned by police after they staged a rally and chanted slogans in the Red Zone in opposition to Section 144. The protestors were from the vicinity of the Arts Council.
After the demonstrators tried to advance toward the Sindh Assembly close to the Baloch Colony neighborhood, law enforcement also used tear gas and engaged in combat with them.
Additionally, the demonstration was held at the city’s main toll plaza, which caused the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway to close to traffic.
The continuous protests at Shahrae Faisal were making it impossible for travelers to get to the airport, which had an impact on the flight schedule as well.
DIG South Asad Raza said in a statement that both of the tracks close to the Nursery, Metropole, and FTC have been closed, and that a sizable police detachment has been stationed on Shahrae Faisal.
The DIG South continued, “A sizable police contingent is also stationed around the Sindh Assembly.”
In addition, the senior police official stated that barricades had been erected on the route that led from Press Club to Sindh Assembly, and that the road from Burns route towards Sindh Assembly had also been stopped by stacking containers.
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