Rival parties end protest in Karachi, announces ‘Black Day’ on Feb 27

KARACHI: The opposition parties, PTI, Jamat-e-Islami and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), have called off their joint protest in Karachi, organised against alleged rigging in the recently-held general elections 2024, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Addressing the media gathered at the Karachi Press Club, the leaders of the opposition parties announced plans to observe ‘Black Day’ across Sindh on February 27, saying that the three parties would ensure full participation.

Speaking on the occasion, JI Karachi Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the peaceful resistance will be “proof of our success”, vowing to free the city from occupation mafia.

He urged the party workers and protestors to return to home peacefully, while regretting the ‘police behaviour’ with them.

At least 148 newly elected representatives were sworn into the 16th Sindh Assembly today.

The Sindh Assembly was the second to have its lawmakers take oath after the February 8 general elections, with at least 313 MPAs being elected to the Punjab Assembly a day ago.

According to the results issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was in the lead in the province with 84 seats while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is a distant second with 28 seats.

Independent candidates, including those of the PTI, secured 14 seats while the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and the Jamat-e-Islami (JI) got two each.

Meanwhile, today’s assembly proceedings took place amid protests at various points across Karachi by the GDA, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and others against alleged rigging in the general elections.

Rival parties, which include PTI, the GDA, the JUI-F, the JI and Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqqiqi, had announced holding a peaceful protest in front of the Sindh Assembly building.

The caretaker provincial government had already announced imposing Section 144 on holding rallies or public gatherings in the “Red Zone” area, where the Sindh Assembly is located.

Protests and clashes

As the newly elected representatives of the Sindh Assembly took oath, clashes erupted between police and JUI-F protestors on Karachi’s Shahrah-e-Faisal. The clashes erupted when police stopped the protestors who were moving towards the Karachi press club.

The protestors staged a sit-in on the Shahrah-e-Faisal after police fired tear gas shells to scatter the protestors and stop them from moving towards the red-zone.

The authorities have placed containers at various points across Karachi after the police broke up the GDA and JUI-F protests. They were placed on roads leading to the Sindh Assembly, including at Fountain Chowk, Karachi Press Club, the Arts Council roundabout and Shaheen Complex.

The Karachi Toll Plaza was closed due to protests by JUI-F workers, causing a traffic jam on roads near Memon Goth.

ARY News reported that the police arrested at least 100 protestors across Karachi, including 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.

Moreover, over 20 Qaumi Awami Tehreek workers, including women, were arrested and shifted to the police station during the clashes.