Police baton charge MQM-P protesters in Karachi

KARACHI: The police baton charged and fired tear gas at the activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to disperse them as they gathered outside the Chief Minister House to protest against the controversial local government law.

MQM-P representatives said several women and children participating in the protest sustained injuries, while the police arrested several party leaders and activists. The protest disrupted traffic flow on Shahrah-e-Faisal – the road considered to be the city’s main artery.

Sindh Minister for Information Saeed Ghani said the MQM-P decided to change the location of the protest, as they had earlier announced the demonstration to be held outside the Karachi Press Club but they started moving towards the Chief Minister House. “We are not against protests, even Jamat-e-Islami has been protesting in front of the Sindh Assembly for almost a month now,” he said, adding the MQM-P should have been careful as several foreign cricketers were staying in hotels near the CM House because of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Ghani said because of PSL, security was already on high alert. He said the protestors were warned but they defied all requests and the police had to take action. Criticising the party, he said the MQM-P, along with the PTI, wanted to divert public attention from actual issues.

The MQM-P and other opposition parties in the Sindh province have slammed the Sindh Local Government Act 2021 passed by the Sindh Assembly in December last year, and termed it a “black law”, which they believe had taken power from local government representatives and handed it to the provincial government.

Per reports, the police had cleared the area and roads had been cleared for commuters. Later, MQM-P leaders at a press conference slammed the police action against the peaceful protesters.