Over 70 TLP workers held over violent protest

Police on Friday claimed to have arrested over 70 workers and supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) over a violent protest in Bahadurabad.

The area turned into a battleground for an hour when scores of TLP workers gathered outside their head office to march towards the Karachi Press Club against the Supreme Court’s order on the review petition against Aasia Bibi’s acquittal in a blasphemy case.

Extra contingents of law enforcers were already deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident. The workers started chanting slogans and tried to march towards the KPC. The situation turned violent when the police tried to stop them.

“It is an act of terrorism and lawlessness by TLP workers in broad daylight and in front of hundreds of people,” District East SSP Ghulam Azfar Mahesar said. He confirmed the registration of first information reports (FIRs) under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act against the workers, adding that the police also impounded 25 motorcycles.

The police said that the workers attacked the law enforcers and also damaged a police mobile van in the limits of the New Town police station. Sindh Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam also took a notice of the incident and sought a report from the police officials concerned.

TLP leaders condemned the police action and arrests of their workers and demanded the immediate release of those arrested.

According to TLP leaders, they had planned to carry out a rally from Bahadurabad to the KPC when the police attempted to thwart the rally and started attacking the workers with batons and teargas shells but the workers then reached the KPC and staged a protest.