Rangers detained several Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) London activists while they tried to hoist the party flag and write slogans on Liaquat Ali Khan Chowk on Friday. While talking to the media about the incident, Rangers sector commander Brigadier Naseem Ahmad said, "Some people sat on the road reciting the Holy Quran. Some of the women came to us and requested permission to do recitation and the permission was granted."
"When these women returned, some male party workers raised party slogans and started putting up party flags in the area. The police took action on this and arrested some of the workers," he added. When asked about the number of people detained, he said the people creating chaos were taken in custody.
As a result of the detention a number of party workers staged a sit-in on the road leading from Ayesha Manzil to Yadgar-e-Shuhada, disrupting the flow of traffic. Liaquat Ali Khan Chowk was previously known as Mukka Chowk and holds a symbolic significance for MQM party workers. In Hyderabad around 10 MQM London activists were arrested as a large number of workers made their way towards Pakka Qila to pay their respects to slain party workers. Police used tear gas shells and fired shots in the air to disperse the crowd. Meanwhile, at Pakka Qila ground MQM Pakistan workers held a memorial programme for their slain party workers under heavy security provided by police and rangers personnel.