At least 35 people were arrested in Karachi for the violation of Section 144 on Sunday, as police clashed with protesters outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) who had gathered against the killing of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar, Aaj News reported.
Dr Shahnawaz, a blasphemy accused, was killed last month allegedly in a staged police encounter in Mirpurkhas.
Under the Sindh Rawadari March, human rights defenders announced to stage a protest on Sunday from Teen Talwar to the KPC against “religious extremism in Sindh” and “extrajudicial murder” of Dr Shahnawaz.
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The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) also called the supporters to gather from Teen Talwar to the KPC on the same day for a Tahaffuz Namoos-e-Risalat (PBUH) march.
Meanwhile, Sindh government on Saturday imposed Section 144 in the city for five days, starting from October 13. Section 144 is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period.
Police also sealed off streets leading to the KPC with shipping containers and deployed hundreds of personnel across the city, particularly in the Red Zone, which houses important government buildings, which led to traffic rush in many areas.
Upon reaching outside the KPC amid a ban on public gatherings, police detained a number of demonstrators on Sunday.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it was “greatly concerned” over the arrest of the protestors including women associated with the Sindh Rawadari March.
“HRCP is greatly concerned to learn that at least 37 protestors (including women) associated with the Sindh Rawadari March have been arrested by the Karachi police while attempting to hold a peaceful assembly to demand justice for the murder of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbher.
“The police have also attempted to arrest HRCP chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt and warned him not to speak to the press. We fear further arrests through the day,” it wrote on X.
“The Sindh Rawadari March includes progressive voices from across the province, Sindh, including human rights defenders, trade unions and feminist movements, whose right to protest is protected by the Constitution,” HRCP added, demanding immediate release of the arrested people.
1 dead, several injured in TLP’s march towards KPC
One person was allegedly killed while several others got in the protest called by the TLP in the city, Aaj News reported.
According to details, TLP supporters clashed with police and Rangers in the Red Zone near Metropole as they were moving towards the KPC.
Police resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse the demonstrators, leading to a violent clash that resulted in the alleged death of a protester and injuries to others.
Arrests made over violated Section 144: Memon
In a statement, Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said the Section 144 had been imposed in the city to prevent any form of conflict, and the arrests on Sunday were made for violation of the government orders.
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Cases were registered against those who violated Section 144, he added.
“The law applies to everyone, and it is everyone’s duty to respect the law and not take matters into their own hands,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
Sharjeel Inam Memon mentioned that the Section 144 had been imposed in the city in light of the recent attack on Chinese near the airport and the SCO summit in the country next week.