In view of the strike call for April 2 given by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), the government of Sindh has imposed Section 144 in the entire province with immediate effect. The law would remain enforced for seven days. Announcing this at a hurriedly called press conference at his office on Thursday, provincial home minister Rauf Siddiqui said there will be total ban on assembly of five or more people, display of any kind of weapons, holding public meetings or taking out rallies in the province.
However, the prayer congregations, religious gatherings with prior permission of government, government functions and any other gathering with permission of the government will be exempted of this ban, he clarified.
Home Minister declared that the government would never compromise on principles and would not allow any one at any cost to damage the public and private properties. " Any one arrested while ransacking or setting on fire any vehicle or property would be dealt like a criminal involved in heinous crime," he told adding, " This must not be taken as a joke or mere a political statement."
"The person so arrested would have to pay for all the damages and in case he escapes arrest, the local leaders of concerned parties would be held responsible to pay for the damages," minister said.
Further, he said, the orders have been issued for conducting the raids and sealing the printing presses involved in printing the pamphlets. The persons found distributing the pamphlets would also be arrested, he added.
He told that two persons distributing pamphlets in Defence area were taken into custody last light.
To a query the minister told that both belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami were distributing the pamphlets asking the people to observe strike.
He told further that another person was arrested in Gadap town red-handed who revealed during the interrogation that he was hired for setting the vehicles on fire.
Responding to another question, home minister told that 27 political activists were arrested in Karachi, 20 in Hyderabad and 19 in Dadu while details of other arrests are being collected.
Rauf Siddiqui said, "Since the MNAs, MPAs and senators from the opposition often make visits to the police stations for release of their workers and face problems, I offer them to nominate two of their MPAs to remain in touch with the government to facilitate the release of their arrested workers." Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister for Information, Salahuddin Haider was also present.