KARACHI: People protesting over the arrest of certain leaders and workers belonging to a religious party became violent on Monday when police tried to disperse them after they were found blocking roads and railway tracks at Malir 15.

“From midnight onwards the protesters organised a sit-in and no one could pass through because of that. That’s when the negotiations began, some two or three men were also released. Still, they couldn’t reach an understanding,” said Faisal Raza, an onlooker, who had been watching the situation from a safe distance across the tracks.

Sounds of shelling and aerial firing echoed in the entire area. Residents watched from rooftops and balconies. Some even opened their doors for the media people to transmit live from there against the backdrop of the violent happenings.

A pregnant woman with two children was seen trying to cross over to the other side of the bridge behind where was her settlement but she was unable to do so. She ran around confused to find cover for herself and the children as the firing and shelling continued.

“I have been enjoying the clashes. It looks like a computer game to me. Sometimes the police gain points, sometimes the ‘Shias’,” said a young boy surrounded by other wide-eyed neighbourhood children.

“Careful!” his friend elbowed him. “She is wearing a silver bangle,” he said.

Then the first boy smiled and said: “Sister, are you Ahle Tashee? If yes, then what are you doing this side? Cross over to that side, climb on a rooftop or something and start aiming stones at the ‘tullas’,” he suggested trying to be helpful.

Meanwhile, the other side had the ambulance volunteers from various NGOs on standby. The road was strewn with empty teargas shells. The policemen were slowly gaining up on their opponents with the other party moving backwards or getting to higher ground by hiding on the upper floors of the various buildings from where they hurled stones.

The heavy teargas fumes also weren’t that strong up there. But on the ground there were plenty of teary-eyed policemen with swollen eyes. Head constable Mohammad Iqbal sat in the open back of a pick-up truck with his head bandaged. “I was not expecting to be hit from above so I was only wearing a bulletproof vest and not a helmet. But the stone hit me directly on the head,” he said.

There were also several policemen without any riot police gear. “There is not enough gear for all of us. They grab whatever is there and move on ahead,” said Rana Saghir, transport-in-charge for East Zone police, who had himself driven the bus carrying reinforcement. Meanwhile, the pre-cast concrete bridge beams lying on the side of the main road also served as shields for the policemen as they popped up every now and then to fire in the air from behind them.

At 4.45pm, there was furore on the railway tracks. “Move aside! Train coming! Train!”

Everyone had only just done that when the ground started vibrating and the first train in hours sped past. Pakistan Railways had earlier said that due to the protest at Malir, trains coming from Punjab and other cities were delayed. Trains originating from Karachi, too, were late as a result of the protest. But regular traffic resumed at around this time.

Also the main roads, which had been closed, were opened and vehicles were finally allowed to pass through. All flashed their lights and moved as fast as they could to quickly get out of the troubled area.

As many of the media persons also started turning away around evening, the kids called out to them to not leave as yet as more excitement was to follow. “Where are you going, sister?” One boy called out to a reporter, “Wait, wait, don’t go yet. The Rangers are yet to reach the spot. That’s when the real fun would begin!”

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2016