KARACHI: Twelve persons including a 10-year-old boy were killed yesterday [July 8] when police opened several rounds of fire in Liaquatabad and other areas here on the second day of the language disturbances. Troops were called out in the disturbed areas to control the worsening situation caused by the passage of the Sindhi language bill by the Provincial Assembly. Over 150 persons were injured in the clashes. Police rounded up about 100 persons. The City’s normal life was paralysed as the disturbances spread to many other parts of the City. — Staff reporter

[Meanwhile, as reported by the staff correspondent from Hyderabad,] Indus Rangers were called in and posted at some troubled spots to assist the local administration to control the situation created by pro-Urdu demonstrators in the city. Throughout the day, clashes between the police and demonstrators occurred at various places in the city. Police had a tough time in dealing with the demonstrators who pelted stones at them... .

[News agencies add from Rawalpindi,] President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said today [July 8] he had invited representatives of Sind to meet him in Rawalpindi ... to discuss the Language Bill, which makes Sindhi as the provincial language of Sind... .

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2022