On Monday, Karachi’s Additional Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Javed Alam Odho announced that the city’s roads would be cleared of protest sit-ins before Maghrib prayers. He stated that citizens had “suffered enough” due to ongoing protests that had disrupted traffic for the last three days.
Protests Over Parachinar Killings
The protests, which have been taking place for a week, have resulted in major roads block in Karachi. The demonstrators are protesting the killings in Parachinar and are demanding several measures, including the reopening of a road that has been closed for 90 days. The road closure has caused a shortage of essential food and medicines in the region.
Activists from the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), a mainstream religiopolitical party, have continued their sit-ins across the city after failed talks with police and city officials. The blockades have led to significant traffic jams, causing inconvenience to commuters who have been forced to use alternative routes.
Ongoing Sit-Ins Across Karachi
According to the Karachi Traffic Police spokesperson, sit-ins were still taking place at 13 locations throughout the city. Key affected areas included:
- MA Jinnah Road near Numaish Chowrangi
- Kamran Chowrangi in Gulistan-i-Jauhar
- Jauhar Mor
- Safoora Chowrangi
- Abul Hasan Ispahani Road
- University Road near Metro
- Shamsuddin Azeemi Road in Surjani Town
- Sharea Pakistan at Ayesha Manzil, and several others
Alternative traffic routes and diversions were put in place to manage the flow of traffic, but the blockades have continued to disrupt daily life.
AIGP’s Statement and Plans for Road Clearance
During a press conference at the Garden police headquarters, AIGP Javed Alam Odho stated that authorities had instructed the police to “clear” the roads from the ongoing sit-ins. He assured the public that all major roads block would be cleared by Maghrib time.
“Our aim is to relieve the citizens who have suffered due to the roads block,” Odho said. He also emphasized that the police would take legal action against anyone resisting the clearing of roads. Odho also shared that discussions with protest organizers had been held, and they had agreed to end their protests.
Clarification on Protest Sit-Ins
Despite the initial statement, the AIGP later clarified in a press release that his comments were aimed at ensuring the sit-ins did not disrupt traffic flow, rather than an outright end to the protests. He emphasized that peaceful protests could continue, but blocking roads completely was not acceptable.
MWM’s Response
MWM spokesperson Syed Ali Ahmer Zaidi confirmed that the central leadership had decided to continue the sit-ins until their demands were met. However, the party agreed to only block one lane of a road during the protests to allow traffic on the other lane. Zaidi mentioned that while the sit-in near Natha Khan Bridge on Sharea Faisal was ended, the protests continued on National Highway at Malir-15 and other locations across the city.
MWM leader Mubashir Hassan added that protests in Karachi would persist as long as the situation in Parachinar remained unresolved. He also warned that the Sindh government and police would be responsible if they took any action against the protesters.
Threat of Expanded Protests
In a separate development, Allama Mohammed Ahmed Ludhianvi, leader of the Sunni Ulema Council and the proscribed group Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), warned that protests could escalate if the current demonstrations were not ended within 24 hours. He stated that he would be forced to hold sit-ins at 60 locations throughout Karachi if the situation continued.
The ongoing protests in Karachi over the Parachinar killings have led to widespread disruption, and the city’s police force is taking action to clear the roads. However, the protestors, particularly from MWM, remain firm in their demands, and further demonstrations may occur if their concerns are not addressed. The situation in Karachi remains tense, with the potential for more protests if the Parachinar issue is not resolved.
