The law enforcement agencies have arrested 21 persons who were involved in sabotaging law and order situation in the metropolis on May 12, said Home Secretary Sindh Brigadier Ghulam Mohammed Mohtaram (Retd).
Addressing a press conference held in the auditorium of New Sindh Secretariat here on Thursday, he said that 170 pre-emptive arrests were made on May 11 in the wake of apprehension of violence in the city.
Brigadier Mohtaram said that although there were casualties in the city, which was a sad incident but the situation did not go very grave, as no public property was destroyed, no international food chain outlet was set on fire and no multi-national was attacked.
IG Police Niaz Ahmed Siddiqi, CCPO Karachi Azhar Farooqi and Additional Secretary Home Rasheed Alam were also present on the occasion.
Home Secretary gave details of the post-May 11 and May 12 events in chronological order. Replying to a question, Mohatarm said that security of CJP and lawyers of SHC was the responsibility of administration, for that purpose the routes leading to airport and SHC were blocked only for security reasons.
CCPO Karachi, Azhar Farooqi responding to a question said that no arms were withdrawn from the regular police, however, the riots control police were not given arms, as this was the usual practice in case of ground management situation.
He pointed out that standard practice was followed in case of riot police and added that police were provided tear gas shells as a choice to be used only for dispersing the crowds if they turned violent.
Farooqi said that no attack was launched on Aaj TV and Business Recorder building, it came under cross fire between two groups at Patel Para and Guru Mandar.
He said that the said building was situated at such a location whenever any unrest prevailed in the area, it came under fire. Unrest in the area mounted when residents of Patel Para pelted stones followed by the firing on MQM rally and set on fire vehicles in the parking area of Aaj TV and Business Recorder.
To another question, Brigadier Mohtaram said it was impossible to carry out search for arms among mobs who had thronged Sharea Faisal on the night of May 11 and on May 12. He said that 25 casualties out of total were on Shahrah-e-Faisal on May 12.
He acknowledged that there were a lot of arms throughout the country including Karachi and added the government once tried to recover illegal weapons through a country-wide campaign which did not prove fruitful and now the issue of 'de-weaponisation' was again being given a thought.
When asked about which group the people arrested belonged to, the home secretary only said those involved in firing had been apprehended. However, sources told Business Recorder that the culprits arrested belonged to ANP, JI and MQM (Haquiqi).
Home secretary ruled out any manhandling with the lawyers. Mohataram clarified that permission to take out MQM rally was given by the City Government and there was no role of Home Department in it.