District South turns into battleground as police clash with protesters over Section 144 violation

District South of Karachi was turned into a battleground on Sunday after police took action against two groups of protesters who were found in violation of Section 144.

In view of a potential clash due to the planned protests of the Sindh Rawadari March (SRM) and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the city commissioner had imposed Section 144 in the district, restricting the gathering of five or more people.

However, both groups flouted the ban, prompting police officials to take action against them, which resulted in clashes that left an alleged TTP worker dead, and caused injuries to several people and arrests of some 70 individuals. The injured included police officials, while a police vehicle was also torched in the chaos.

Around a week ago, the civil society had announced holding the SRM at Teen Talwar to condemn last month’s extrajudicial killing of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar in Mirpurkhas. He had been accused of sharing blasphemous posts on social media.

Their march on Sunday was in protest against the lack of action against the police officials involved in the doctor’s killing, and the increasing trend of religious extremism in Sindh. In response, the TLP also decided to hold a demonstration. However, to prevent any potential clashes, the government imposed Section 144.

Heavy police presence was deployed around Teen Talwar and the Karachi Press Club (KPC) early on Sunday morning. Despite that, participants from the city and other areas began arriving at the KPC around 3pm.

Police had blocked the routes with containers and buses, making it difficult for the protesters to reach the KPC. The demonstrators began marching towards the main gate while shouting slogans.

This led to clashes between the police and the protesters outside the KPC, where police used batons and tear gas, resulting in the arrest of several civil society activists, who were taken to various police stations.

Meanwhile, TLP supporters gathering at the Karachi Cantonment Station also decided to march towards the KPC instead of Teen Talwar. Police intercepted them near the Metropole Hotel, leading the protesters to clash with police and Rangers, during which firing occurred, and batons and tear gas were used.

A man was shot once in the head and died on the spot. His body was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where a group of TLP leaders and workers arrived and shouted slogans against the incident. They claimed the deceased was the party’s UC-8 incharge.

The man was identified as Majid Aziz, who hailed from Vihari and was a resident of Shirin Jinnah Colony in Karachi. He was a father of four.

During the clash several protesters and police officials were injured, while some vehicles were also damaged, including a police mobile that was allegedly set on fire by the protesters.

Police continued to detain and transfer protesters to various police stations, as the clashes lasted until around 8pm, following which civil society and TLP members surrounded various police stations, particularly the Artillery Maidan police station, demanding the release of their detained members.

Among those detained by the police included writer Jami Chandio, his daughter Romasa, singer Saif Samejo as well as Qazi Khizer of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

A video clip that went viral on social media showed Romasa, who belongs to Shaheed Benazirabad and is a doctor of law from London, being forcibly taken away by female police officers by her being lifted off the ground by all four limbs.

‘Zero tolerance’

Earlier in the day, Karachi police chief Javed Alam Odho had visited the Teen Talwar area and other locations to review the security arrangements in the light of the upcoming protests.

During a media briefing, Addl IG Odho had said that there would be zero tolerance for violations of Section 144. He mentioned that over 2,200 personnel have been deployed in the Z Zone, along with more than 100 police vehicles, to ensure security.

He warned that those violating Section 144 would be arrested, and legal action would be taken against them. He also highlighted that with an international event scheduled in Islamabad, maintaining peace in Karachi was a priority.

He noted that groups wishing to hold demonstrations would be free to do so after October 17, as the authorities had already informed those planning to hold protest rallies.

South Zone police chief Asad Raza told The News that both the TLP and the SRM participants had violated Section 144. “When the police attempted to stop them, they became violent and attacked the police, prompting a retaliatory response from the law enforcers to disperse them.”

DIG Raza clarified that no one who was arrested had been released, and said that the police had taken approximately 70 individuals from both groups into custody. He mentioned that the police are now registering cases against both

parties.

When asked about the person who had died during the incident, the officer claimed that the TLP was lying about the incident, saying that the deceased was a passerby who had been killed by the TLP’s

firing, not by the Rangers’.

Condemnations

“We strongly condemn the arrest of HRCP Sindh vice-chair Qazi Khizer at the Sindh Rawadari March, including trade union leader Zahra Khan and rights activists Sorath Lohar, Ali Path and Jami Chandio,” the HRCP issued a statement on a microblogging website.

They said that the conduct of police, who baton charged and assaulted protesters, including a young woman, is inexcusable. “The Sindh government must take immediate notice of this incident. All those arrested must be released immediately and unconditionally,” they added.

“The HRCP is greatly concerned to learn that at least 37 protesters, including women, associated with the Sindh Rawadari March have been arrested by the Karachi police while attempting to hold a peaceful assembly

to demand justice for the murder of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar.”

Separately, TLP Karachi chief Mufti Muhammad Qasim Fakhri expressed regret over the firing, baton charge, tear gas shelling and arrests. He condemned the “firing on unarmed TLP workers”.

He accused the provincial government of protecting organisations that are working on an anti-Pakistan agenda. He warned the government to “come to its senses”. “Our arrested workers should be immediately released,” he demanded.

Journalists thrashed

Media persons were also reportedly manhandled in the police crackdown on civil society activists outside the KPC. A cameraman of a private news channel said his camera broke as a result of policemen’s assault.

The Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) condemned the police violence against journalists and cameramen, and attempts to arrest them. In a statement, President Ijaz Ahmed, Vice President Lubna Jarar, General Secretary Aijaz Jamali and members of the KUJ executive council expressed anger at the police action on Sunday evening at the main gate of the KPC.

The journalists said the police violated the sanctity of the press club and blocked its routes preventing the journalists from entering it. Journalists and cameramen covering the protest were repeatedly subjected to police violence, they added.

When the South DIG arrived at the KPC, journalists protested and demanded action against the cops who had manhandled the media workers. Later, in a statement, the South DIG assured the journalist community that the cops who had maltreated journalists had been identified and action would be taken against them.

‘Both violated law’

Following criticism of the police manhandling journalists and civil society activists, especially women, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar announced action against the police officers involved in manhandling women protesters and journalists.

In a statement, he said civil society organisations and religious organisations tried to hold protests on Sunday at the KPC, Teen Talwar and Metropole despite the imposition of Section 144 in the metropolis. Lanjar said the Karachi commissioner had imposed the Section 144 because of apprehension that the two groups might clash.

The protesting organisations should have followed the law but they violated it, the home minister remarked, adding that some police officers were injured by the protesters and a police van was also set on fire. He maintained that strict action would be taken without discrimination against those who violated the law.

Regarding the case of Dr Kunbhar’s killing, Lanjar said an FIR had been filed against policemen and private people in the case on the complaint of Dr Kunbhar’s parents. He added that some cops were also arrested in the case, and other suspects secured pre-arrest bail.

The home minister said that all those who resorted to protests tried to endanger the sovereignty and peace of Pakistan and harm its economy.

Evil elements are trying to worsen the situation in Karachi, the capital of Sindh, when delegations for the Shanghai Cooperation Conference have started arriving in Pakistan from all over the world, he added.