NAWABSHAH: A sizeable number of protesters on Tuesday ransacked the offices of the Taluka council here, the Hesco and municipal office and torched the car of an MPA against the improper working of district and Taluka councils, insanitation and closure of power supply.

Demonstrators coming from all corners of the city burnt effigies of the district and Nawabshah Taluka councils and also attacked the municipal office.

The demonstrators burnt the car of PPP MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio, office record and vehicles parked outside the ground of the Taluka council here.

A heavy contingent of police used tear gas and fired into the air to stop the mob from further destruction, as the protesters pelted the police with stones, injuring some policemen and citizens who were admitted to the PMC Hospital. Police arrested several protesters.

Closure of power supply aggravated the situation when the Hesco shut down supply to a major portion of the city due to which angry residents of these areas demonstrated at Hesco Manuabad office and broke office furniture.

Police spoiled the situation by registering FIR against more than 150 persons and started conducting raids to arrest the nominated persons.

Meanwhile, complete strike was observed in the city on a call of the 'Save City Movement and 'Citizens Action Committee'.

All the main bazaars and markets including Mohni Bazaar, Liaquat Market, Chakra Bazaar, Sakrand Road, Market Road, Maryam Road, Sanghar Road, Shahdadpur Road, Banka Ram Road and Cloth Market remained closed. Traffic remained thin in the city.

Tyres were burnt in several localities and sounds of firecrackers were also heard.

Protest rallies started arriving from all corners of the city holding banners and placards. They were shouting slogans against the District Nazim, Taluka Nazim and DCO and were demanding their dismissal.

Addressing the crowd in front of the Taluka Council office, leader of the Citizens Action Committee, Syed Noor Muhammad Shah said the District and Taluka councils have failed to solve the people's problems and the city has become a city of problems.

When contacted, Taluka Nazim Ali Akbar Jamali said they had inherited a failed drainage system. He said the sanitary staff has turned against the Taluka Council after the sanitation system was given on contract. He said they were preparing to register FIR against the mafia among the sanitary staff.

He levelled allegations against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and said the party's hand was behind this "riot" and it was doing politics under the cover of civic problems.

MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio said the police remained inactive when his car was being set on fire.

Later a large number of PPP activists led by Nazim Taluka Council and the MPA staged a sit-in outside the A-Section police station.

He said the hands of members of Muttahida Zonal Committee, president Citizens Action Committee and district police officer were behind the "riots". On their instigation, the protesters set the municipal record and vehicles on fire.

He said they would continue their sit-in unless a case was registered against the DPO and other concerned persons.

Later addressing a press conference Taluka Nazim Akbar Ali Jamali said the activists of the Muttahida and PML-QA attacked the municipal office under a plan. He said two tractors, one lorry and record of the sanitary office were burnt.