Crackdown on Islamabad protests sparks protest in Sindh

In view of the crackdown on Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasoolullah (TLYR) in Islamabad, religious activists held protest demonstrations in Karachi and other parts of Sindh on Saturday.

The protesters blocked roads and got shops closed in various areas of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Tando Allahyar and Jacobabad. In Karachi, protesters, who have been staging a sit-in at the Numaish Chowrangi since last week, blocked roads leading to Saddar and other areas of the city.

Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasoolullah (TLYR) Protest Images from Hyderabad

Cars line up in long queues at Hassan Square as traffic jams ensue due to the protest.

Religious parties protested near Tower, Hassan Square, Star Gate, Jauhar Chaurangi, MA Jinnah Road, Khudadad Colony, New Karachi and Nazimabad. Karachi police opened aerial firing, teargas shelling and baton as religious protesters took to the streets in different parts of the metropolis.

During the scuffle near Star Gate, Memon Goth SHO Gulzar received bullet injuries while 14 other people, Muhammad Kamran, Shahbaz, Abdul Wakeel, Waqas, Rashid, Noman, Sultan, Fahad, Qabil, Zohaib, Abdullah, Qasim, Badar, Faizan, and Nadeem  sustained injuries during clash between religious activists and LEAs.

The injured were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center for treatment, whereas SHO Gulzar was shifted to Aga Khan Hospital.

Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of sit-ins and protests in various areas of Karachi and has directed Sindh Inspector General of Police AD Khowaja and Karachi Commissioner Aijaz Ahmed Khan to deploy police and law enforcement agencies and disperse the protesters.

He also directed DIG (traffic) to ensure smooth traffic flow in the city.

Police were called for backup as protesters turned violent at Star Gate and pelted stones on vehicles of security forces and others. Police also tear-gassed protesters at Star Gate.

Emergency has been declared across public hospitals in Karachi. II Chundrigar Road and MA Jinnah Road have been closed for traffic. Armed persons force closure of shops at Numaish Chowrangi

The protesters also came on roads in Tower, Hassan Square, Gruminder, Korangi, North Nazimabad and Sohrab Goth areas. The protesters also blocked the main road link between Karachi and Hyderabad.

In Mirpurkhas, TLYR and other religious parties held protest demonstrations in Mirpurkhas.

The protesters first gathered at Market Chowk and held a protest demonstration. Later, they reached the local press club where they staged a sit-in and blocked roads leading to different areas of the city. The protesters, led by Sharif Saeedi and Mushtaq Naqshbandi, chanted slogans against the government for launching a crackdown against religious activists in Islamabad.

They vowed to widen the scope of the protest.

It may be noted that a policeman was martyred and over 100 people, including police officers, were injured in Islamabad when police and other LEAs on Saturday moved to disperse a sit-in that has virtually paralysed the country’s capital for weeks.