KARACHI: After several confrontations with demonstrators, Karachi police launched a crackdown to clear roads as Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) protesters continued their sit-ins for the eighth consecutive day on Tuesday, blocking major areas of the city.
At Numaish Chowrangi, protesters pelted stones at police, set six motorcycles and a check post on fire, prompting the authorities to use tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowds. The police also dismantled the central sit-in camp set up by MWM at the site and arrested several protesters, taking them into custody.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah swiftly addressed the incident, emphasizing that no one would be allowed to damage public or private property. “Legal action will be taken against those who set vehicles ablaze,” the chief minister stated. “Everyone has the right to protest, but damaging property is unacceptable.”
The MWM’s ongoing protests in Karachi were organized in response to the Parachinar crisis, despite government warnings. The sit-ins had been causing significant disruption, blocking roads and harming the city’s economy, as commuters were unable to travel freely.
In addition to Numaish Chowrangi, other areas such as Safari Park on University Road, Kamran Chowrangi, Lasbela, and Abbas Town were also affected by the protests. Tensions escalated at Kamran Chowrangi, where more police forces were deployed, including the senior superintendent of police (SSP) East and Sindh Rangers personnel, but the protestors remained defiant.
The protestors at Kamran Chowrangi had set up tents, and despite police negotiations, they refused to end their sit-in and clear the roads. Earlier in the day, protests at Five Star Chowrangi, Shamsuddin Azeemi Road, Surjani Town, Ancholi, and Golimar Chowrangi were called off to allow traffic to resume.
Police also removed obstructions at Abul Hassan Isphani Road following brief clashes with demonstrators.
In a statement to the media, CM Murad Ali Shah addressed the situation, explaining that the provincial government had requested protestors to hold their demonstrations at a single location to avoid disrupting other citizens. However, he said the protestors had not adhered to this agreement. The CM also announced that the sit-ins in four locations would be removed through administrative action and negotiations.
“We support peaceful protests, but these actions are hurting the public,” Murad said, adding that relief supplies had been sent to Parachinar. He emphasized that the resolution of the Parachinar issue would be addressed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not in Sindh.
The government’s actions were met with mixed reactions. While some criticized the crackdown, others, including PPP leader Saeed Ghani, expressed solidarity with the victims of the Parachinar tragedy. Ghani condemned the incident, extended condolences to the victims’ families, and praised the resilience of women and children participating in the protests. “It is your right to protest, but we urge the organizers to concentrate their demonstrations at a single location,” he added.
MWM leader Allama Hassan Zafar Naqvi acknowledged the government’s position, stating that while the protests had different organizers, a definitive response was not possible at that time.
The Parachinar region, located in Kurram near the Afghan border, has long been a site of conflict. Recent clashes in November killed at least 130 people and created a humanitarian crisis, with severe shortages of medicine and oxygen exacerbated by the closure of the road connecting Parachinar to Peshawar.
