Thursday, November 15, 2007
By Salis bin Perwaiz
Karachi
Tension gripped Lyari for a second day running as leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) demanded the release of their party leader, Benazir Bhutto who was detained at her house in Lahore. Protestors burnt tyres and resorted to aerial firing.
Four cases were lodged against PPP workers and leaders in the Lyari and Sadar Town police stations. They were against Nazims, Naib-Nazims and councillors, of whom several were held by the police.
A group of protestors gathered in the Chakiwara area to launch their protest against the house arrest of Benazir in Lahore. Profusely armed, they fired in the air and forced closure of shops in the area. Later, the activists moved to Attah Chowk, then Gul Mohammed Lane, Maulla Madad Stop where they launched their protest, burnt tyres and fired into the air.
Afterwards, a heavy contingency of Lyari Town police came in and heavily baton-charged the activists. The angry activists retaliated by firing due to which two APCs were hit with bullets.
Later, the activists moved towards Nava Lane and Bihar Colony areas of Lyari and launched their protest there. The Lyari Town police followed them there and, after a five-hour resistance, controlled the situation in the vicinity of Lyari.
In Baghdadi police station limits, a case was lodged against PPP workers of which some were held for rioting. They were identified as Ghaffar, Mohammed Ali, a councillor, Mohammed Shakeel, Mohammed Siraj, also a councillor and Shahnawaz, a Sindh council Member. The police also recovered arms from them.
In Kalakot police station, the duty officer said that the police, while patrolling, received information of rioting and protest in Sheedi Village, Attah Chowk and Chakiwara-2. The heavy contingency of police, after some resistance, controlled the situation and lodged an FIR.
It was alleged by the police that the Kalakot violence was perpetrated in connivance with Nabeel Gabol a PPP MPA.
At Chakiwara police station, an FIR was lodged against PPP Member Chaudhry Shakeel, Mohammed Yousuf Memon, PPP worker Shabir Khan, Zeeshan, alias Shani, Abdul Ghaffar Pingori, a councillor, Abdul Rasheed, also a councillor, ex-councillor Saleem Qureshi, alongwith 200 to 250 workers for rioting and aerial firing.
At Eidgah police station, PPP workers and supporters assembled at Jameela Street, Ghas Mandi and blocked the road for vehicular traffic, burnt tyres and fired in the air due to which a police mobile SP-5737 was damaged. The situation in Lyari was tense and the shops remained shut till the filing of this report.
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