Three drivers killed in protest at Super Highway

KARACHI: Three drivers were shot dead and two others wounded when scores of trailer drivers, majority of them belonging to Waziristan, were staging a protest on Wednesday on the Kathore Morr at the Super Highway.

According to police, the trailer drivers were staging a protest for fulfilment of their demands for the last five days by parking their trailers. The situation, however, turned violent on Wednesday when the protesters blocked both the tracks of the Motorway-9 while pelting stones.

In the meanwhile, firing started and three protesters were wounded who were rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center where they succumbed to their injuries.

The deceased were identified as Niaz, son of Hameed, Rasool, 30, son of Gul Muhammad and Ayub, 39, son of Roshan. The officer said two more protesters including a 32-year-old man Hafeez were also wounded.

This followed six-hour-long negotiations which failed and the stone pelting renewed, once again turning the link road near Kathore Morr into a battlefield on Wednesday night prompting law enforcers to baton charge and teargas the protesters to clear the M-9 motorway for traffic. The protesters claimed their vehicles were stranded for the last five days at the Kathore Morr for overloading and they were not being allowed to enter the city, which led to protest.

No arrest was made till the filing of this news report. The motorway, however, remained blocked till late Wednesday night but eventually following negotiations between the protesters and authorities, the M 9 was opened for traffic bringing respite to hundreds of commuters struck on the critical upcountry motorway.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah ordered Additional IG Karachi to conduct a fair and transparent inquiry into the incident and register a case against those responsible. Shah also ordered to ensure medical treatment of those injured in the incident.