KARACHI: Workers of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) clashed on Friday night during campaigning for the by-election in the city’s NA-246 constituency.

The incident took place in Liaqua­tabad when a JI rally of its candidate Rashid Naseem was being held.

Sticks and stones were used in the clash that left some people injured and windows of vehicles broken, according to police.“It was a clash between the workers of both parties,” Karachi-West DIG Feroz Shah said.

The clash took place when JI’s supporters reached near an election camp set up by the MQM and both sides shouted slogans against each other and exchanged hot words, the official said.

Seven police vehicles led by SP Tahir Noorani rushed to the place and brought the situation under control, he said.

However, JI spokesperson Zahid Askari claimed that it was not a clash but an attack on his party’s ‘peaceful’ rally. “The JI candidate was leading the rally when MQM workers attacked it with sticks and stones,” he said, adding that ‘several JI workers’ were injured.

JI chief Sirajul Haq said in a statement issued after the incident that the attack was the “worst example of hooliganism and terrorism”.

An MQM spokesperson denied the allegations and claimed: “Participants of the JI’s rally attacked the MQM’s election camp set up in Al Azam Square, Liaquatabad.”

The spokesperson said the MQM’s candidate Kanwar Naveed Jamil was trying to contact JI candidate Rashid Naseem. “People and the workers should demonstrate patience and foil any attempt to create chaos by remaining peaceful.”

The MQM’s coordination committee alleged that participants of the JI’s rally had ‘ransacked’ the Muttahida’s camp, terming it a condemnable act.

“Some of the participants of the JI’s rally arrived at the MQM’s election camp and allegedly provoked their workers. Resultantly an unfortunate incident took place,” it said.

The clash took place on the day when the provincial police chief had awarded cash and appreciation certificates to several officers of Karachi Central district for ensuring a ‘peaceful atmosphere’ at Jinnah Ground in Azizabad during a rally led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play