HYDERABAD: Strike, protest rallies in Sindh cities - Karachi killings
HYDERABAD, June 4: On the call of the MMA and PPP, strike was observed in some cities of Sindh and processions were taken out throughout the province on Friday to condemn the Karachi killings and government's failure to arrest terrorists.
The protesters condemned the murder of Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai and the massacre at Imam Bargah Ali Raza and called for sectarian harmony. They demanded dismissal of the Sindh government for its failure to prevent the bloodshed and control the situation.
A procession was taken out here by the People's Party Parliamentarians activists from the Bhurgari House, which terminated at the local press club, with its participants raising slogans against the Sindh government.
Another procession was taken out by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal activists from the Hanfi Mosque in Market Tower, which terminated at the Madina Mosque in Seroghat.
Speaking on the occasion, the MMA district president Abdul Waheed Qureshi said that the same group was responsible for the murder of Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai and the massacre of innocent people in Imam Bargah Ali Raza in bomb blast. He added that the enemies of the Muslims were trying to spark sectarian riots and their local agents were trying to pit the Shias against Sunnis in Karachi.
Members of the Shia community, under the aegis of the Shia Ulema Council, held a protest demonstration at Qadamgah-Maula Ali after Juma prayers. The protesters, who carried black flags, raised slogans of "Shia-Sunni Bhai Bhai." The Asgharia Students' Organization activists also took out a procession from Qadamgah-i-Maula Ali to the local press club.
SANGHAR: Complete strike was observed in Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, Khipro and Sanghar and two separate processions were taken out here by the activists of the MMA and Shian-e-Haider Karrar.
BADIN: A complete strike was observed in Badin and other towns of the district. The markets and shopping centres even cabins, tea shops and bakeries remained closed. Glasses of some shops, which had remained open, were smashed by the protesters.
MIRPURKHAS: A protest procession was taken out here by the office-bearers and workers of the PPP.
NAWABSHAH: Partial strike was observed and a procession was taken out here on the call of the MMA. Activists of the Asgharia and Imamiya students organizations and the PPP activists also took out separate protest processions.
SUKKUR: The MMA activists forced shopkeepers to close shops and took out protest processions in Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki, Daharki, Thul, Kandhkot and other parts of upper Sindh.
In Sukkur, the protestors burnt tyres and hurled stone at the shops and vehicles due to which all the business centres were closed. Three separate processions were taken out in Jacobabad, one from an Imam Bargah and two others from a madressah. The PPP activists took out yet another protest procession.
LARKANA: Activists of the PPP, MMA and Millat Jafria took out separate protest processions here amidst heavy security measures by police.
KHAIRPUR: A complete strike was observed here as well as in Thehri, Priyaloi and Ranipur. Vehicular traffic remained suspended on the National Highway and other roads.
DADU: On the call of the MMA and PPP, a large number of political workers took out a procession here. Vehicular traffic remained thin but the bazaars remained opened throughout the district.
JACOBABAD: The MMA's strike received a mixed response as partial strike was observed here.
SHIKARPUR: On the call of the MMA, complete strike was observed in Shikarpur and other towns of the district.