Several protestors arrested ahead of Sindh assembly oath taking session

KARACHI: Police arrested at least 100 protestors as the newly elected members of the provincial legislature take oath in the maiden session of the Sindh Assembly, ARY News reported.

As per details, GDA, PTI, JUI-F and other coalition parties have announced protests outside Sindh Assembly during the oath-taking session of newly elected MPAs.

Heavy contingents of police have been deployed at different spots on Shahrah-e-Faisal and where one track is completely blocked for the traffic.

Karachi East police have also arrested protestors from Awami Markaz and Karsaz and shifted them to Bahadurabad and other police stations.

Police spokesperson said that protestors will not be allowed to enter the red zone at any cost.

JUI-F leader Rashid Soomro’s rally staged a sit-in at toll plaza after he was stopped at Karachi Hyderabad toll plaza.

He said that they aim to reach Sindh Assembly and stage protests outside the provincial assembly as it is their constitutional right to stage peaceful protests.

Earlier, the Sindh government imposed Section 144 in the south zone amid protest announced by five rival parties in front of the assembly against ‘bogus’ elections.

The maiden session of the provincial assembly began at 11 pm on Saturday with newly-elected members, mainly belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.

Read more: Sindh MPAs take oath amid opposition protests against ‘rigging’

In anticipation of a protest, the caretaker provincial government has imposed restrictions on holding rallies or gatherings of public in the ‘Red Zone’ area, where the Sindh Assembly is located.

The leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fzal (JUI-F) announced  plans to stage a protest outside the assembly building.

“… the Government of Sindh, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 144 (6) Cr.PC, hereby imposes a ban on public assembly, gatherings, protests, processions, and demonstrations in South Zone Karachi Division for a period of 30 days with immediate effect,” stated the provincial government’s notification issued late Friday.

It further notifies, “In pursuance of Section 195 (i) (a) Cr.PC, the S.H.Os of the concerned Police Station are hereby authorized to register complaints under Section 188 PPC in writing for the violation of Section 144 Cr.P.C against the violators of this Notification.”

Home Minister Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz made it clear that opposition parties would not be allowed to hold protest demonstrations outside the Sindh Assembly during the inaugural session.

Related: Section 144 imposed as Sindh MPAs-elect to take oath today

The Home Minister said that the protest cannot be permitted outside the Sindh Assembly in the wake of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

He said that 144 CrPC is enforced in Karachi, adding that demonstrations or of any type rally is not permitted outside the Sindh Assembly.

In a statement, Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz said that concrete security measures were taken in and around the Sindh Assembly. He said that stern action would be taken against those exhibiting any lawlessness.

As per the ECP’s results, PPP won the most provincial assembly seats (84) followed by MQM-P (28), while independent candidates bagged 14, GDA 2, and JI two seats in the February 8 polls in Sindh.