HYDERABAD: Jubilant Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) activists and protesting workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) came to blows at Hyder Chowk late on Friday night following controversial election of Hamza Shahbaz as Punjab chief minister.

PTI activists had gathered at Hyder Chowk in response to their party chairman Imran Khan’s directives to protest against ruling of Punjab Assembly’s deputy speaker. In the meantime, PPP activists also came there to celebrate victory of Hamza Shahbaz in which their party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had played a crucial role.

On seeing each other, the charged workers started raising slogans against each other and soon came to blows. A contingent of baton-wielding plain clothed policemen who had already arrived there to avert such a situation tried to separate the two sides.

The workers of the two parties had started assembling there at around 11pm and their numbers increased and sloganeering intensified as time passed. They traded hot words and in the meantime PTI activists surrounded Asfand Mari, a candidate of UC-28 and divisional general secretary of Peoples Students Federation, which turned up the heat. As the situation began to take ugly turn, more policemen arrived at the roundabout to disperse and keep activists of the two sides at a safe distance from each other.

Police closed all the roads leading to Hyder Chowk to stop more people from coming to the area. Luckily no one was seriously hurt in the clash. DSP Shakil Solangi suffered a minor injury to his forehead when he was trying to avert a scuffle. Some angry activists attempted to torch a motorcycle but failed.

Police finally dispersed the activists in different directions. PTI activists were forced to move towards Society Chowk and PPP activists were pushed towards Old Campus area to stop the clash.

PTI activists also gathered outside local press club to lodge their protest against the deputy speaker’s ruling.

PPP Sindh information secretary Aajiz Dhamrah, district information secretary Ehsan Abro, MPA Abdul Jabbar Khan and Fayyaz Shah also rushed to Hyder Chowk after hearing news about the clash.

Dhamrah told journalists that PTI leadership must understand that ‘ek Zardari sub pe bhari’ slogan would haunt it forever. He had sympathy with PTI youths who were being misguided, he said. PPP activists were peaceful and they faced aggression from PTI cadre, he said.

Meanwhile, Asfand Mari lodged a case (45/22) at City police station under Sections 147, 148, 149, 506, 427 and 324 against PTI divisional president and candidate for UC-97 Dr Mustansir Billah, UC-110 Latifabad vice chairman’s candidate Jamshed Ali Shaikh, Kaleem Jafri, Shahid Khan Sherry, Kashif and Shahid.

PPP district president Saghir Qureshi, general secretary Ali Mohammad Sahito and information secretary Ehsan Abro condemned attack on Asfand Mari in their joint statement and said that PPP activists would stop PTI at all cost whenever it tried to cause provocation.

They said that FIR had been lodged against suspects but police had not made any arrest.

PTI workers gather in Mirpurkhas

Workers and supporters of PTI held a demonstration at Post Office Chowk on Friday night to protest against controversial election of Punjab chief minister.

The protesters led by district president Aftab Hussain Qureshi raised slogans against the federal government. Heavy contingents of police arrived at the roundabout to avert any untoward incident.

PTI leaders said that people of Mirpurkhas had taken to the streets in support of their leader Imran Khan.

Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully after recording their protest.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2022