Case against protesters registered under terrorism act

Man injured in demo succumbs to injuries; inquiry
opened to separate facts from conspiracies

One of the people wounded on Sunday when police officials clashed with residents of Orangi Town who were protesting against the increasing number of robberies in the locality succumbed to his injuries on Monday.

Pakistan Bazaar police have registered an FIR under the terrorism act and other relevant sections against the miscreants involved in turning the demonstration violent.

Police said a hitherto unidentified person opened fire at the law enforcers during the protest at Islam Chowk, resulting in injuries to 40-year-old Asghar Imam and others. Imam died during treatment at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. A DSP, two SHOs and three other policemen were also wounded.

SSP (West) Nasir Aftab told The News that the conflict between police officials and the locals had been proceeding for the past 15 days. It began with some residents surrounding the Iqbal Market police station and claiming that the law enforcers had failed to curb crimes.

SSP Aftab and his staff talked to the protesters and asked the victims of criminal activities to step forward, but no one did. He summoned the head clerk with the station’s daily diary, but found that no resident had filed any complaint.

He then summoned the Madadgar 15 in-charge with their register and found two complaints, following which he directed the SHO to immediately register an FIR. On this the protesters left the police station.

On the concerns raised by the locals regarding the Iqbal Market SHO’s performance, the SSP ordered his removal and posted Karachi police chief’s PRO Qamar Zaib Satti in his place.

SSP Aftab also directed the Orangi SP to organise an open kutchery in the area and invited the local representatives through announcements from mosques.

Several stakeholders and locals attended the meeting, during which the SP assured the people of cooperation and asked them to approach him or the local DSP’s office if they ran into any difficulty at the police station while filing their complaint.

SSP Aftab said that last week the residents received text messages from an unknown source urging them to gather at Islam Chowk on Sunday and protest against rising crimes in the locality.

He called the representatives and stakeholders again and they assured him that they would not participate in the demonstration. Even after they gathered at Islam Chowk on Sunday morning, negotiations between the residents and the police were held successfully, he added.

A little while later, however, 30 to 40 people gathered at Islam Chowk against and started protesting, following which the SSP directed the local DSP to reach there and inform him of the outcome of the talks.

As soon as the DSP arrived on the scene, some miscreants opened fire at the police mobile. The officer retreated unhurt. When the SSP, along with the DSP and other officials, arrived there to hold talks, the miscreants attacked the police with firearms and stones, injuring the DSP, two SHOs and three other policemen.

SSP Aftab said the police registered an FIR under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act as well as violence and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code against nominated and unidentified accused involved in the clash.

He also appointed the Baldia SP as the inquiry officer to ascertain the facts and conspiracies behind Sunday’s violence. At the time this report was filed, investigations were still under way.