Dozens of protesters injured in clashes with Karachi police

ISLAMABAD: Dozens of protesters were injured in clashes with security forces in Karachi after a large number of activists of Tehreek-i-Laibbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religious parties on Saturday took to roads in protest against the police action in Islamabad. 

At least three trucks were burned to ashes on Shahra-e-Faisal during protests against government’s crackdown on participants of Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad on Saturday.

At least 13 people got injured in violence incidents including exchange of fire between protesters and police at Star Gate area near airport.

According to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) 12 of them got injured from gunshots while one from teargas shell. Two serious injured were shifted to orthopedic ward, while those with minor injuries had been discharged after providing them first aid.

Police hurled tear-gas shells towards the demonstrators which contaminated the air leaving nearby residents in extreme difficulty.

In total, 18 gunshot injured were brought to JPMC, namely Kamran, Shehbaz, Abdul Wakeel, Waqad, Rashid, Sabir, Owais, Abdullah, Qabil, Hamza, Noman, Sabir, Fahd, Zohaib, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Nadeem, Mismatah and Zeeshan.

12 injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi including 20-year-old Waqas, 21-year-old Arshad, 22-year-old Ahmed, 23-year-old Yaqoob, 24-year-old Shahzaib, 25-year-old Humayun, 26-year-old Usman, 19-year-old Rauf, 28-year-old Ahmed Amin, 29-year-old Faizan, 30-year-old Abdul Rehman and 27-year-old Mehr Ali.

Three injured, 32-year-old Nazim Hussain, 31-year-old Syed Hussain and 33-year-old Faizan, were taken to Liaquat National Hospital.

While, SHO Memon Goth Gulzar Ali, 32, was admitted to Agha Khan Hospital.

A heavy contingent of police was deployed around the protest camp to clear Numaish traffic intersection, awaiting further orders to launch a crackdown.

Two journalists belonging to Geo News were injured after coming under attack by protesters at Sohrab Goth.

Rangers high officials arrived at Numaish for talks with the protesters. While police were holding talks with protesters at Shaheen Complex where all the roads had been blocked.

Earlier today, protesters shut the city’s main artery Shahrah-e-Faisal soon after the police launched crackdown against protesters camping out at Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad.

Subsequently, the protests sprung up in various parts of the city including Star Gate, Tower, Hasan Square, and Sohrab Goth.

Police have reportedly fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters at Star Gate area of the city.

Earlier this week, dozens of TLP supporters and workers amassed at Numaish Chowrangi to express solidarity with the protesters camped out at Faizabad Interchange, affecting the flow of traffic in adjourning localities and on nearby roads of Numaish.

However, the protesters later moved to a camp to record their protest.

The protesters have been demanding action against those who were involved in making now ‘withdrawn’ amendments to the oath taken by the parliamentarians.

Meanwhile, the government gave the central leadership of TLYRA in Islamabad an ultimatum to evict Faizabad interchange till late Friday, but it went unheeded, prompting the government to issue a call saying security forces would begin an operation to clear the area.

Security forces resorted to rubber-bullet after the protesters put up to resistance. The LEAs lobbed teargas shells to disperse the protesters. The demonstrators in retaliation pelted stone on the security personnel.

Some security personnel have received injuries as a result of stone-pelting. Live footage showed clouds of smoke rising from the site as police used teargas. Dozens of protesters have also been taken into custody.