The Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday condemned tear gas shelling and use of batons by police against its peaceful protesters, who were proceedings to stage a sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly for the rights of Karachi, and announced it would stage 10 sit-ins on main routes of the city.
The announcement came during at a press conference addressed by JI Karachi emir Monem Zafar on Court Road in the aftermath of arrests, baton charge and tear gas shelling by police on the protesters marching towards the Sindh Assembly building.
Police also cordoned off the area leading to provincial assembly by placing public transport vehicles across the road to stop the marching protesters.
JI leader Zafar said the Sindh government resorted to fascism and responded to the party’s peaceful protest for the rights of Karachi with police brutality, arrests and shelling.
Speaking to media representatives, he said the brutal police violence against unarmed workers on the orders of the provincial government led by the Pakistan Peoples Party was extreme oppression.
He said party workers would not be intimidated by police violence and arrests, and that the cruelty used to stop a peaceful and democratic protest had once again exposed the PPP’s “anti-Karachi and anti-democratic face”.
Zafar maintained that his party had come out for the rights of Karachi’s citizens and for an empowered local government through a peaceful protest, but the provincial government’s response had made the situation serious.
He said several workers were injured or fainted due to police action, while dozens had reportedly been arrested or gone missing. The JI, he said, would continue its struggle for Karachi’s rights without compromise or retreat from its principled stance, regardless of the tactics used by the provincial government.
He announced that sit-ins would be held on Sharea Faisal, Shahrah-e-Pakistan, Super Highway, National Highway, Maripur Road, Shahrah-e-Korangi, Shahrah-e-Orangi and other important arteries of the mega city.
“We were demanding due rights, including an empowered mega city government, and basic civic rights for Karachiites and we will continue to do so,” he said, adding that the ‘Let Karachi Live’ movement was launched in response to the PPP government’s “psychopath attitude” towards the Gul Plaza Tragedy that claimed over 80 innocent lives. He said the tragedy would continue to haunt the PPP government.
Sindh Senior Minister and Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon said the Jamaat-e-Islami had already been informed that they would not be allowed to enter the red zone and was instructed to protest peacefully. Despite this, JI workers entered the red zone and pelted stones.
In a statement, he said the Sindh police and local administration were in contact with the JI, but the workers attempted to enter the Sindh Assembly.
Memon said the JI Karachi chief had no right to take the law into his own hands. He added that ordinary citizens suffer due to road closures, noting that the JI sometimes blocks Sharea Faisal and at other times attempts to enter the assembly.
He said the government was willing to hold talks, but the JI must show restraint in its conduct, as it was pursuing the politics of chaos and had caused serious problems in eight towns of Karachi.
Home Minister Zia Lanjar said negotiations were scheduled for Saturday in the evening; however, stones were pelted at police. He said police were forced to take this extreme step and no one was allowed to go against the law.
