KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pakistan People’s Party-led (PPP) Sindh government have come face-to-face over the controversial local government (LG) law after the opposition political party in Sindh and ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the Centre converted its rally into a sit-in outside the Chief Minister House yesterday.
Just a day ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), MQM-P had chosen to hold a sit-in in the Red Zone in front of CM House located near the hotels where foreign and national players are staying for the mega tournament, to protest against the Sindh LG law and discriminative actions of the PPP-led provincial government on Wednesday.
The PTI ally in the Centre earlier announced to organise a protest rally that would end on Karachi Press Club (KPC) without elaborating its plan for any advancement towards the CM House. However, in a sudden move, the MQM-P workers led by central leadership removed the barricades in Red Zone and held a sit-in outside CM House.
Senior police officers had asked the protestors to clear the place, however, MQM-P protestors refused to change their venue until the government side held talks with them.
Before any formal talks with the government and protestors, police baton-charged and fired tear gas shells to disperse the MQM-P workers including women and children. The police action resulted in the injuries of activists and lawmakers and the death of a political worker, turning the situation tenser in Karachi.
At the time of police action, MQM-P central leaders had remained absent from the protest venue.
Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani defended the police action and said that MQM-P has suddenly changed the route of its protest rally and stormed CM House.
Saeed Ghani told ARY News yesterday that MQM-P leaders have been told to end protests outside CM House and divert their workers back to the actual venue of the protest at Karachi Press Club (KPC).
“Taking action [against MQM-P protestors] was a compulsion and I apologise if someone gets injured [in the police action]. Players are currently residing in the adjacent hotels to the CM House for Pakistan Super League (PSL).”
He said that Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is also holding a sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly but no action was taken. “We have asked MQM to continue their protest at KPC. Nothing would have happened if MQM-P accepts to go back to the press club. If MQM is a peaceful political party, then it should have exhibited their responsibility.”
On the other hand, MQM-P leaders gathered at KPC announced to observe black day over the violent action of the Sindh government which led to the death of one of his wounded workers at Jinnah Hospital.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced to back its ally in Sindh and condemned the provincial authorities for choosing violence over dialogues with a political party.