Karachi: Police Use Tear Gas, Baton Charge Against JI Protesters Near Sindh Assembly

KARACHI: Police resorted to intense tear gas shelling and a baton charge against Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) protesters near the Sindh Assembly on Saturday evening, resulting in the arrest of at least 10 JI 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 a 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 transfered 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.

Reacting to the crackdown, JI Karachi Emir Munem Zafar Khan condemned the police action as “fascism.” In a statement, Zafar alleged that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government displayed authoritarianism by targeting “peaceful, unarmed, and democratic” citizens.

The protest caused massive traffic congestion across Karachi’s central districts. Severe gridlocks were reported at Saddar, Regal Chowk, Burns Road, Lucky Star, Empress Market, and Zainab Market. Long queues of vehicles were seen stretching across M.A. Jinnah Road and toward Bolton Market, leaving commuters stranded for hours.