10 police officials suspended for mishandling protest march in Karachi
Pakistan
Two separate rallies were held in Karachi on Sunday violating the Section 144
KARACHI (Web Desk) - Ten police officials including the Station House Officer (SHO) were suspended in Karachi for mishandling the protest march held in the city yesterday.
Two separate rallies were held in Karachi on Sunday violating the Section 144.
The protesters had organised the “Sindh Rawadari March” to condemn the extrajudicial killing of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar in fake encounter on the pretext of blasphemy.
Meanwhile, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) also called a counter-protest but police stopped them for reaching the Karachi Press Club.
The police mishandled both the protests and some ugly scenes were seen on social media.
Later, the police torture on protesters was also condemned by PPP leaders Sherry Rehman, Shazia Marri and Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also called on the Sindh government to immediately investigate the violent treatment meted out to civil society activists who took part in Sindh Rawadari March in Karachi.
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Scores of protestors were arrested—including HRCP Sindh vice-chair Qazi Khizer Habib—and numerous others, including women, physically assaulted by the Karachi police.
The Sindh Rawadari March was intended as a peaceful demonstration calling for justice for Dr Shahnawaz Kunbher, who was accused of blasphemy and subsequently shot dead by a police officer.
The march had brought together progressive voices from across Sindh and should have received the full support of any government claiming to hold progressive, democratic credentials.
Earlier, the Sindh Home Department had imposed Section 144 in Karachi for five days.
According to the notification, Section-144 was enforced from October 13 to October 17.
The order said, “There will be a ban on gatherings, processions and rallies in the city.”
