Orangi Town residents on Sunday held a protest demonstration against the rising street crime incidents in the area, while police resorted to aerial firing and tear gas shelling to disperse the enraged protesters. The demonstrators gathered at Islam Chowk area located in the jurisdictions of Iqbal Market Police station with chanting slogans against what they said 'police failure' to ensure protection of life and properties of the area people, despite several protests held against the same issue in recent days.
In the meantime, police reached at the site to control the situation through negotiation. However, the attempt was failed when the protesters began with chanting slogans and (a few of them) breaking the window panes of the police van.
The police resorted to aerial firing to disperse protestors. "Peaceful protest is our constitutional right, but the police, instead of arresting the street criminals and mobile snatchers, have initiated aerial firing and shelling on us, the people said. Scores of protesters got injured while several others have been arrested by the police," a protester said. He said a number of people are being deprived of their mobile phones, cash and other valuables every day, but on the other hand police was making no efforts to arrest criminals, he added.
The SSP West Nasir Aftab said not a single FIR has been launched against the robberies by the area people.
While on the other hand, the residents said the police did not bother to entertain their complaints. The apathetic behaviour of the police has prompted the residents to take to roads and streets for the rights, they said.
The hours-long protest caused severe traffic jam on the area roads, causing hardships for motorists to make their ways.