****KARACHI: Protestors of the People’s Aman Committee clashed with police in Karachi on Friday. The rally was on its way to Bilawal House when it was stopped by the police.
Police baton-charged the protestors on II Chundrigar Road and stopped them from proceeding further.
A heavy contingent of law enforcers had been deployed to prevent them from reaching Bilawal House and the police also fired tear gas shells to disperse the protestors.
Police and the protestors also exchanged fire during the clashes.
Traffic, which had earlier been jammed as a result of the routes being blocked, has also started moving.
At least 30 protestors were also reported to have been arrested.
A negotiation team later arrived from Bilawal House to speak to the protestors. Representatives of the protestors have been taken to Bilawal House so that they can register their demands.
End of live updates
6:30pm
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has phoned Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan and has ordered him to control the situation.
Protestors have complained that no government officials have approached them yet to listen to their demands.
6:25pm
Security around Bilawal House has been beefed up.
All roads leading up to Bilawal House have been sealed since afternoon.
6:15pm
Police have the situation ‘partially’ under control.
The Rangers have reportedly not taken any action against the protestors
The injured are being shifted to Jinnah and Civil hospitals.
Protestors are hiding in the nearby alleys and police are waiting for them to return to Lyari.
Law enforcers appear to be well equipped to deal with the situation.
More police officials have been called in and are searching now nearby areas.
6:10pm
Some of the protestors were reportedly armed and fired back when police used tear gas on them.
A large number of vehicles form the protest rally have Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) flags on them.
6:00pm
The injured are being taken to Civil Hospital.
MT Khan Road has been blocked with containers.
Zafar Baloch is leading the rally and is present at II Chudrigar Road. He is speaking to the media.
5:50pm
An exchange of fire is taking place between both sides.
There is no confirmation on the number of injured at the moment.
Cars and office buildings have also been damaged during the clash.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Commander Shaukat is present at the scene and is leading the police team.
The protestors had been given a warning to return to Lyari or force would be used against them.
5:45pm
Roads leading to the Bilawal House are blocked by containers and a number of arrests have been made, while there are reports of multiple injuries in the ongoing clashes.
Traffic jams have been reported on II Chundrigar Road, MT Khan Road, Mai Kolachi and MA Jinnah Road.
According to Express News, no efforts were made by authorities to conduct talks with the protestors to address their issues.
The traffic in the area is at standstill and the residents are unable to get out.
As reported earlier, the People’s Aman Committee had earlier announced that it will organise a protest in front of Bilawal House on January 6, in order to voice its anger at the fact that authorities concerned had not taken any substantial steps to catch suspects involved in the targeted killing of two football players about a month ago.
Zafar Baloch had claimed that though Lyari had become a stable neighbourhood, the targeted killing could disrupt the tranquility prevailing in the area. He had pointed out that the investigation committee formed by the Home Minister had not made true on its promise to produce results within 48 hours.
The leader of the People’s Aman Committee had also said that the people who represent Lyari in the Sindh Assembly were part of a conspiracy to malign the neighbourhood and its residents.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
Thanks to these animals the main business street was turned into a warzone.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
MQM versus MQM (H) (history)??
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
^ Why involve MQM in it? Is it only because the word “Karachi” was used?
I don’t really like some of MQM’s policies, especially its leader, but it is ridiculous to drag MQM in every discussion related to the city and then abuse it for the crimes it did not commit.
BTW, these gang members from Zulfiqar Mirza’s “Aman” committee exchanged fire with police. “Peace” committee, Zulfiqar Mirza’s violent way.
http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/06/aman-committee-protestors-clash-with-police.html
“Many of the protestors were reportedly armed and as a result there was also an exchange of fire during the clashes.”
People here would again blame MQM for it somehow. I am sure.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
well there is a history of MQM versus MQM (H)...and in this case PPP govt vs Amn Committee (which is also PPP). I used that only to correlate the two issues, other than that I leave it to you guys who have more information about the city and its politics.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
Ok. I understand your point.
Yes, there are comparisons. Both MQM-H and PAC were formed through support from others to teach MQM some lesson.
Support of such violent groups can only result in further violence and destruction of the city. But I guess "teaching MQM a lesson" is more important than citizens' life and city's economic future.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
Lyari's population is not homogeneous. It consists of 2 communities, Makrani Balochs and Memon Kuchhis. They both support PPP.
Mirza armed the "Amn" committee to fight MQM. It did exactly what it was intended to do. Hence Mirza's continued support to it. But almost all PAC members are Baloch. When they got arms then they not only threatened the rest of Karachi, but also threatened Kucchi people in Lyari.
This is why they had to make the Kuchhi Rabita Committee to counter PAC.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
And what is the story behind the protest?
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
They were protesting against government not completing investigation of 2 Baloch footballers within 48 hours as promised. The 2 died during clash with Kucchis.
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/karachi/07-Jan-2012/police-batter-ppp-amn-committee-rally
The committee had announced that it would organise a protest in front of Bilawal House to show its wrath over the fact that authorities concerned had not taken proper steps to net the suspects of killing of two football players Elahi Buksh, alias Alok Gawadari, and Khizar Baloch, alias Moja Baloch, about a month ago in a clash between the People’s Amn Committee and Katchi Rabita Committee and lack of development work in Lyari.
While PAC members consider it a “conspiracy” by the same people who represent Lyari, I think the reason investigation was delayed is mere government incompetence. We are all too familiar with such incompetence.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
^ does this mean that some kind of turf war has erupted between kuchhis and makranis?
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
^ I don't know.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
I also suffered due to this traffic jam yesterday and we all left offices lately, but its now common torture we have to face and there is no single week when we not have to face traffic jams.. Its some times for CNG strike and long lines of vehicles near CNG stations, sometimes for electricity loadshedding and sometimes for VIP movement.
No doubt this government is incompetent, but its fake reconciliation and political compromises are the major reasons behind all this havoc. There was also tension in some areas yesterday and the reason that was being told that a religious group is going to arrange rally against fake nomination of one of their scholar in FIR for murder of a leader from another religious group just due to intervention of a Senator.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
Let me blurt out one more thing before leaving this thread. This is an advice to all people of Pakistan especially Sindh.
The Point:
We need to realize that violence begets violence. And the best way to help your/my/our community is to help in the field of education and economy.
Explanation:
There may be multiple theories of why MQM picked up arms but my view is that MQM was threatened by armed attacks in 80s from Pashtuns in Karachi (Aligarh and Qasba colonies) and Sindhi-nationalists in other parts of Sindh (Pakka Qila, Hyderabad). Altaf's answer was to ask MQM people to "VCR bech do aur KK khareed lo". And MQM people did just that. They armed themselves to teeth. The strategy worked for sometime as others saw it is dangerous now to fight or attack MQM/ Urdu speakers.
But the problem with narrow-minded people like Altaf (and Mirza) is that such strategy works only in short term. In the long term it back fired. When MQM members got arms then many started extorting money from businesses and started illegal activities (robberies etc) in their own localities. This may or may not have happened with MQM's official approval but MQM is responsible in the sense that it did advice its members to arm themselves.
This created a sense of lawlessness and eventually resulted in the flight of capital from the city. Everyone in the city suffered. And the only person responsible for this mayhem was Altaf.
Mirza was no different. When he saw common Pashtun laborers being murdered, he thought of bringing justice his way. And hence he started arming PAC to fight MQM. PAC also achieved its purpose just like MQM previously but we see now that such policy of committing violence will eventually destroy the very community he wanted to help. Lyari people.
PAC is now armed and it is killing/extorting money not just Urdu speakers etc. but also from Lyariites themselves. Just like what happened with MQM's case before.
So people, stop relying on violence to reach your goals. It will eventually bite you yourself.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
One more thing. The discussion above could very well be imposed on Pakistan army's support of violent groups like Taliban and LeT.
They have now come back and haunt Pakistan itself. Just like in the case of MQM and PPP.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
One more thing. The discussion above could very well be imposed on Pakistan army's support of violent groups like Taliban and LeT. They have now come back and haunt Pakistan itself. Just like in the case of MQM and PPP.
Thats one aspect and the other is raising militias now to fight their war in FATA and Balochistan. The points that you have made apply to them as well. Tomorrow when Pakistani government stops funding/supporting them, what will these people do? These militias are from the people whom they are fighting, so they will keep fighting each other for a long time to come. Militias raised by Americans have already failed as evident from the current situation of Iraq.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
One more thing. The discussion above could very well be imposed on Pakistan army's support of violent groups like Taliban and LeT.
They have now come back and haunt Pakistan itself. Just like in the case of MQM and PPP.
so Pakistan army supports Taliban and LeT? I thought Pak army was "fighting" Taliban, no?
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
Pakistan army WAS supporting Taliban to the fullest earlier.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
Thats one aspect and the other is raising militias now to fight their war in FATA and Balochistan. The points that you have made apply to them as well. Tomorrow when Pakistani government stops funding/supporting them, what will these people do? These militias are from the people whom they are fighting, so they will keep fighting each other for a long time to come. Militias raised by Americans have already failed as evident from the current situation of Iraq.
I don't know how much those lashkars are being armed. If this is out of control like examples above then this can happen. And I don't expect anyone is establishment to keep this scenario in mind.
Our higher-ups are not known to have any long-term thinking.
Re: Police, Aman Committee protestors clash in Karachi
Pakistan army WAS supporting Taliban to the fullest earlier.
Which Taliban, TTP or Afghani Taliban?