JI Karachi Ameer Monem Zafar addresses protesters at Lasbela Chowk, Karachi on February 15. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Sunday held a nationwide day of protest, responding to its Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman’s call against police violence and arrest of workers at a protest outside the Sindh Assembly on Saturday.
In Karachi, sit-in protests were held in 10 main arteries of the city. Sit-ins were held at Shahrah-e-Pakistan, Super Highway, National Highway, Shahrah-e-Orangi, Shahrah-e-Korangi Crossing, Hub River Road (Sher Shah), Dawood Chowrangi, Lea Market, Shahrah-e-Sher Shah Suri Road and Johar Mor on Rashid Minhas Road.
Addressing the protesters at Lasbela Chowk, JI Karachi Ameer Monem Zafar said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is an anti-Karachi party and has become the “A-plus team” of the establishment.
Zafar said the PPP usurped the rights of the citizens of Karachi and took control of the city’s institutions and resources. He criticized the government for condescending to riverine bandits while registering cases of terrorism against those protesting for the rights of Karachi.
Read more: Several arrested and injured as Karachi police clash with JI protesters near Sindh Assembly
He added that 18 years of PPP rule has deprived Karachi residents of the right to live, but promised that the resistance and struggle would continue.
Meanwhile, a special judicial magistrate (South) handed over 30 JI workers to the police under one-day physical remand in a case registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The workers face charges of arson, damage to public and private property and rioting.
JI Karachi Vice Emir and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Opposition Leader Saifuddin along with other lawyers and party leaders appeared before the court during the hearing.
The prosecution told the court that the accused were charged with setting fire to properties and creating riots, with terrorism clauses included in the FIR. The magistrate remanded them into police custody for further investigation.
JI denounces terrorism accusations
Lawyer Saifuddin strongly criticized the Sindh government for accusing the peaceful JI workers, who were arrested during a protest outside the Sindh Assembly, of terrorism.
Speaking to the media at the municipal courts, he said workers were exercising their constitutional right against corruption and Karachi’s worsening civic problems when the police launched a brutal crackdown. “It is shameful that terrorism clauses have been added to the FIR, while the real terrorism is being carried out by the provincial government itself,” he remarked.
According to JI, the police used excessive force, including baton charges and heavy shelling, which left four workers seriously injured. Shelling was also reported at two mosques, one of which caught fire. A firefighter was seriously injured while trying to extinguish the fire.
Saifuddin demanded immediate release of all detained workers and withdrawal of false cases.
More than 300 reserved
A case was registered at Aram Bagh police station on Sunday against a JI sit-in held outside the Sindh Assembly on Saturday, in which 34 people and 325 unidentified participants were identified.
The FIR includes charges of rioting, attempt to murder, assault on police, damaging government property, blocking roads, obstruction of official duty, violation of Section 144 and provisions of anti-terror laws.
According to the complaint, senior party leaders including Sufian Dilawar, Usman Sharif, Faizan and Jawad Shoaib were supervising the protest and were allegedly inciting the crowd through speeches. Between 300 and 325 participants were present, some of them reportedly armed with sticks and batons.
Police stated that the crowd turned violent and attacked the officers, injuring Inspector Raja Masood, Preedy SHO Ayub Mirani, Shah Faisal Khan SHO and Constable Zohaib. Despite warnings and riot control measures, protesters reportedly remained aggressive, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse them.
About 30 suspects were arrested and others fled. Police said they recovered five .30 caliber gun casings, five 9 mm casings, 15 wooden sticks, 35 rocks and 79 tear gas casings from the scene. A police cell phone was also damaged during the riots.
