Police withdraw decision about closing shops in Azizabad

KARACHI: Police on Friday withdrew a decision to keep the shops closed in Azizabad and its surroundings in a bid to prevent the holding of a political event, Youm-e-Shuhada, scheduled to be held at the Jinnah Ground on December 9.

“You are being informed through a notice that to remain closed your businesses from 8pm on December 8, 2018 to 12am on December 9, 2018 ahead of the Youm-e-Shahuda, and a strict action would be taken against the violators,” according to a notice issued to the shopkeepers by the Jauharabad police station on Thursday.

The police later on Friday withdrew their decision and asked the shopkeepers to keep their shops open. Senior Superintendent of Police Central Muhammad Arif Aslam Rao said: “There was some confusion but now all the notices have been taken back. The law enforcement agencies are already taking extraordinary measures since a new wave of terrorism has gripped the city, especially after the Chinese consulate attack, Quaidabad bomb blast and a car explosion in Defence Housing Authority.” He added that they were waiting for a policy from the higher authorities. Last year, fear and tension gripped Karachi’s Azizabad area when the police and paramilitary force launched a joint crackdown to thwart an event organised by the MQM-London. Hundreds of party workers, including women and children, had gathered at Liaquat Ali Khan Chowk to mark Youm-e-Shuhada on the call of the party's top leadership. But the law enforcement agencies arrived and stopped the workers from going to the Yadgar-e-Shuhada, which resulted in a clash.