KARACHI (MNN); Police clashed with workers of Jamaat-e-Islami outside the Sindh Assembly on Saturday, using tear gas to disperse protesters after tensions escalated in the Red Zone area.
Television footage showed police firing tear gas shells as party workers ran while covering their faces. The Jamaat-e-Islami had announced a sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly on February 14, protesting what it described as the Sindh government’s failure to address Karachi’s problems and alleged interference in the city’s institutions.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the provincial government and police had been in contact with the party’s leadership since 4pm. According to him, the party had been permitted to hold a protest but was strictly barred from entering the Red Zone.
“Despite clear instructions, JI workers entered the Red Zone, pelted stones at police and attempted to move towards the assembly building,” Memon stated. He added that police were compelled to use tear gas and make arrests in response.
He stressed that entry into the Red Zone is prohibited under Section 144 and termed the action a violation of the law. “No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” he said, questioning why protesters sought to approach the assembly when it was closed. He alleged that their intention was to vandalise the premises.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar echoed similar remarks, saying prior notice had been given that a march towards the Sindh Assembly would not be allowed. “Police were pelted with stones, leaving us with no option but to act,” he said, urging the public to remain peaceful and not become tools for those seeking to create chaos.
Sindh government spokesperson Aqraba Fatima also appealed to Jamaat-e-Islami and other political parties to protest peacefully within the bounds of the law. She noted that large gatherings in sensitive areas raise security concerns and said civil life should not be disrupted under the pretext of protest. The government, she added, believes in dialogue and expects positive cooperation from political stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party of “fascism,” sharing videos and photos of police action against protesters on social media. He said the use of tear gas on what he described as peaceful citizens reflected the Sindh government’s failure and desperation.
JI provincial lawmaker Muhammad Farooq told reporters that police shelled and baton-charged peaceful demonstrators. He accused the PPP-led government of undemocratic conduct and demanded the immediate release of arrested and “missing” party workers.
Farooq maintained that protesters were exercising their constitutional right to demand better living conditions for Karachi’s residents. He alleged that the provincial government was depriving the people of their right to protest and criticised what he called authoritarian tendencies masked as democracy.
He also claimed that tear gas shells used by police were internationally restricted, though officials have not commented on the assertion.
The confrontation has heightened political tensions in Karachi, with both the provincial government and Jamaat-e-Islami standing firm on their respective positions.
