Mustafa Kamal, Raza Haroon Arrested Earlier In Peaceful Protest Against Sindh Government

[Mansoon]

Mustafa Kamal was arrested in Karachi on Sunday. PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI: The Sindh government in a crackdown against Pak Sarzameen Party on Sunday arrested its chief Mustafa Kamal and scores of party activists.

Other prominent leaders including Raza Haroon, Anees Kaimkhani and Dr Sagheer Ahmed were also reportedly taken into custody.

Clashes between the police and PSP workers broke out after the latter tried to march towards the Chief Minister House, breaching the red zone security.

In an effort to stop the rally from advancing further from the Aisha Bawany School, the police used water cannons, teargas shells and also opened aerial firing to disperse the participants.

Ending his sit-in outside the Karachi Press Club, the PSP chief had called for a ‘Million March’ to press the Sindh government to resolve the issues of the metropolis.

Speaking to the media on April 7, Mustafa Kamal had put forward 16 demands for the uplift of the city, vowing to continue his protest till they were met.

The PSP leaders held a meeting with a Pakistan Peoples Party delegation ahead of the rally, which ended without any consensus.

A PPP delegation including Murtaza Wahab, Rashid Rabbani and Waqar Mehdi met with PSP leaders— Raza Haroon, Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Aftab Iftikhar Alam, Muhammad Dilawar and Asif Memon.

Following the deadlock in negotiations, the Sindh government had imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Karachi’s Red Zone hours before the rally was to commence.

In a press conference following the crackdown, PSP leaders Ashfaq Mangi and Asif Hasnain warned the Sindh government that the party activists would not go home till their leaders were released.

Speaking at the party headquarters, Pakistan House, Hasnain said that PSP’s peaceful rally was unduly attacked.

“Many of the children in the rally have gone missing,” the PSP leader told the media.

He asked the federal government to intervene and take appropriate steps to defuse the situation.

“Today was democracy’s funeral,” Ashfaq Mangi stated.

He went on to say that the party did not aim to breach the red zone security and was only trying to hold negotiations with the Sindh government.

Reactions

PPP leader Murtaza Wahab took to Twitter to clarify the Sindh government’s stance.

Attaching a copy of the no-objection certificate, the PPP leader stated that the PSP activists attempted to go beyond the permitted area which was unlawful.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned the shelling on PSP rally.

In a statement issued to media he said that such a severe reaction on purely a peaceful political gathering was beyond imagination.

Interior minister also condemned Mustafa Kamal and other senior leaders’ arrest.

He said Pakistani law allows holding of peaceful demonstrations for resolving issues.

Criticising the Sindh government he said the provincial government has started violence against the persons who demand the rights for Karachi.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi also strongly condemned the brutal use of force on “peaceful PSP rally for basic civil rights of the people of Karachi”.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1409843/mustafa-kamal-arrested-sindh-govt-cracks-psp-rally/

This is democracy? Even Musharraf was less dictator than this civilian dictatorship of PMLN and PPP

 

[shahbaz baig]

This is democracy? Even Musharraf was less dictator than this civilian dictatorship of PMLN and PPP

yes this is called culprits parliamentary democracy.. pak needs presidential system instead of parliamentary system

 

[Musafir117]

A heavy contingent of police resorted to baton charge and shelling to disperse hundreds of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) activists on Sunday as they tried to march towards the Chief Minister House after the negotiations between PSP and the ruling PPP party ended without the parties reaching any consensus.

Police also arrested several party leaders, including PSP chairman Mustafa Kamal, Raza Haroon, Anees Advocate and Dr Sagheer, besides scores of party activists. Participants of the march abandoned the road and reassembled themselves near the FTC Bridge in Karachi, DawnNews reported.


Earlier, the negotiations between leaders of PSP and PPP ended without the parties reaching any consensus, as the PSP was insistent to march towards the red zone in Karachi but the Sindh government was reluctant to let them do so.

Hundreds of PSP activists had gathered at Shahrah-e-Faisal near FTC bridge after the provincial government imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Karachi's Red Zone on Sunday ahead of an announced march of the PSP to the Chief Minister House.

A view of 'million march' organised by PSP. —Online
A view of 'million march' organised by PSP. —Online
The PSP delegation which held talks with the ruling PPP leaders was led by Raza Haroon.

The leaders of the protesting PSP kept announcing that they will march towards the Red Zone, however, law enforcement personnel erected barricades on all roads leading to the chief minister and governor houses.

Nisar condemns use of force against citizens
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar reacted to the development and said that the Constitution ensures the provision of holding all types of political gatherings, DawnNews reported.

He condemned the use of power against protesters and said that the provincial government was showing ignorance to the issues of Karachi and resorted to torture against those demanding their rights. "Use of force against peaceful political gathering is quite illogical," he said.


PPP acted when govt’s writ was challenged, says Shehla Raza
PPP leader Shehla Raza, while talking to DawnNews, defended the provincial government's move saying PSP workers were repeatedly asked “to refrain from entering the Red Zone as it was an illegal activity.”

She, however, said PPP believes in democratic rights of the people and works accordingly. She further said that

“The protesters were initially approached to hold a dialogue regarding their demands, but when they challenged the writ of the government the due action was taken against them,” she maintained.

While responding to the statement made by the interior minister, Shehla Raza mentioned that the government only used water cannon unlike the actions of the incumbent PML-N government in Punjab.

She bluntly compared the recent development with the Model Town tragedy, where police had resorted to live firing, which had resulted in the death of more than a dozen civilians.

'PSP leaders booked over violation of Section 144'
Police have detained at least 16 leaders and workers of PSP, said Karachi-South DIG Azad Khan.

The DIG told DawnNews that the arrested leaders include Mustafa Kamal, Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Raza Haroon, Iftikhar Alam, Hafeez. “They would be booked on violation of Section 144.”

He claimed that the protesters were given a No Objection Certificate to carry out the rally from Karsaz to FTC flyover, and they had agreed to it.

“However, after reaching the FTC Bridge, the protesters were bent upon entering the Red Zone. This prompted the police to resort to baton charge, shelling and use water canon to disperse them,” he explained.

The senior official also said that the representatives of the provincial government and police officials held negotiations with the PSP leaders but to no avail.

The law, which prohibits the assembly of more than four people in an area, was put in place hours before the PSP had to start its march towards CM House.

A large number of anti-riot police personnel had already been deployed at the road and almost all roads leading to the city's red zone had been sealed.

PSP chairman Mustafa Kamal had said on Saturday that he expected “one million” people to march towards the “palace of the Sindh chief minister” for their rights.

The rally was expected to move from the FTC building on Shahrah-e-Faisal. The rallying workers would register their protest against the ‘poor governance’ of the PPP government in Sindh, it had been announced.

Kamal had previously criticised the government for failing to pay any heed to his party’s 18-day sit-in outside the Karachi Press Club. “A government delegation contacted us twice but instead of resolving our issues they tried to befool people,” he had said at a press conference on Saturday.

At the time, the PSP chairman had said that the city’s Red Zone — where the Governor House, CM House, Sindh Assembly and other important government installations are located — was not a sacrosanct place where people could not lodge their protest.
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Release later!!
https://www.dawn.com/news/1333085/p...harge-as-psp-activists-march-towards-red-zone

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Quit regretful scenes ...the folks should be allowed to have peaceful demonstrations. The situation with water and electrcity and budget funding is a major issue in Karachi

You can't be expected to pay for water to WAPDA and then also pay for the Water Tanker
It is state/province responsibility that water and electricity / or garbage issues are resolved.

Unfortunately the issue with Karachi and majority pf Sindh really is allocation of funding to opposing parties. PPP as had problem to release financial budget to opposing political parties and that itself is a move against Constitution of Pakistan.

Denial of rightful allocation of funding to Mayor of city or zone

Usage of violence against civilian demonstrator should be opposed specially if what they are asking for is legitimate Right as residents of province or city or cities.

 

[Mansoon]

Showed what the democracy in Pakistan is all about

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

PPP denial of issuance of funding to Mayor of Karachi and similar regions , is actually is a major problem.

The march or protest are not the real issue here.

In Pakistan we have this matter becasue , the Police force report to the Political Party in power in Province, and unfortunately is a conflict of interest for general population of region.

 

[Mansoon]

PPP denial of issuance of funding to Mayor of Karachi and similar regions , is actually is a major problem.
The march or protest are not the real issue here.

Get rid of PPP, problem solved

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

What ever the case may be , I do oppose such violence against Protestors who are protesting against

a) Electricity shortages in city
b) Water Shortages
c) Lack of Sanitation , garbage collection services and constant flooding during rain seasons

The city mayor has already stated , they have not been issued funding to run city and and thus , they can rightfully sue , PPP provincial government

 

[American Pakistani]

Where are the Rangers now?

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

I think PPP's approach is , if you support anyone else other then PPP we will not give you funding to run cities or your constituentcy and that is against the Laws of any country or even Pakistan

Denial of rightful financial rights for Managers of City or elected Mayors I think this is a grave crime

I think PPP provincial Government should provide Money trail / Approval when they issued $$$ to each zone and what amount was given and that should solve all issues in Supreme Court of Pakistan.


Or may be we need another Joint Comission

Sindh is not a KINGDOM of Bhutto , or Kingdom of Zardari , there are various political parties and every one can make a case to win rights to governance in regions of Sindh

Allocation of funding is important aspect

 

[Mansoon]

rightfully sue , PPP provincial government

How? By getting baton charged by PPP police?

rightfully sue , PPP provincial government

How? By getting baton charged by PPP police?

I think PPP's approach is

Same as PMLN

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Well obviously the Police is serving PPP political heads , and that is the source of Problem.

This really is a Court case , residents of Pakistan should sue PPP government in Supreme court for denial of Funding in Karachi zone , or other zones where it is suspected they have not not granted funding.

Once it is in courts only then we can make progress

The problem is fundamentally , region is not getting funding from PPP unless it is run by their guy and it is under their political banner

"KINGDOM of zardari"

There must be a reason why so many folks keep coming out and complaining in various regions of Sindh

And we need to resolve this issue


If it is easier to manage financing by splitting Sindh in 2 provinces we should proceed in such capacity

• North Sindh
  
• South Sindh

 

[Mansoon]

Its Quite funny that PPPs center is rural Sindh, yet rural Sindh is the most backward areas of the country

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The province split should be not on Ethnic lines but rather , South / North Sindh designation
The lack of financial distribution of budget is a problem that needs to be fixed

• Seperate budget for Sindh North
  
• Seperate budget for Sindh South

This is a logical long term solution

The main thing is $$$$ is spent on regions !!!!!

 

[Musafir117]

If recently census done perfectly and honestly the days of ppp number now. Just need an alliance if PTI serious!