Arson and Vandalism Case: 30 JI Workers Remanded; One Hospitalized During Hearing

KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday sent 30 Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) activists to jail on judicial remand, ARY News reported.

Police presented the JI activists in court in connection with a case involving arson, vandalism, and damage to government property.

The prosecutor urged the court to grant physical remand, arguing that the accused had caused significant losses to state assets.

Conversely, the JI counsel objected to the remand request, stating that the First Information Report (FIR) contained no evidence of actions intended to spread terror.

The counsel further contended that while the report mentioned firing during the protest, no weapons were actually recovered from the scene.

He argued that protesting is a fundamental right and requested the court to drop the terrorism charges.

During the hearing, the health of one activist deteriorated, and he was shifted to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).

Earlier the case has been registered in Aram Bagh police station, against the JI over staging sit-in in the red zone area with state as complainant.

The case has been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act with charges of rioting, violence, interference in government duty, violation of the section 144 and other charges.

Thirty persons, including the JI leaders and workers have been nominated in the case. “Around 300 to 325 party activists participated in the sit-in,” FIR read.

“Inflammatory speeches in the sit-in infuriated protesters and they resorted to rioting and violence,” according to the FIR.

Police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton charge against JI protesters near the Sindh Assembly on Saturday evening, resulting in the arrest of at least 10 party activists, ARY News reported.

JI Karachi Chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman had earlier announced a sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly for today. When the JI leadership arrived at the assembly in a rally, initial negotiations between the party leaders and police officials ended in a deadlock.

The situation escalated when protesters attempted to reach the Assembly building by removing barricades. Police pushed the crowd back before initiating heavy baton charge and firing tear gas shells to disperse the activists.

The police also took custody of the JI sound system truck and later transferred to the police station.

Clashes broke out as protesters and police personnel exchanged volleys of stones, leading to injuries on both sides. Media personnel covering the protest also faced significant disruption due to the intensity of the shelling.