KARACHI, March 31: Police on Friday released Jamat-e-Islami Deputy Amir Hafiz Naeem after several hours of detention. Police had earlier surrounded Idara Noor-e-Haq and took into custody Naeem and three workers including Dr Farrukh — hours before the party was scheduled to protest against the Karachi Electric.
Earlier, following their leader’s arrest, JI workers blocked both the tracks of the Shahra-e-Faisal.
Police reached the spot and started tear gas shelling and aerial shelling to disperse protesters. More contingents of police were called in to control the situation, as protesters also resorted to pelting stones.
People were faced with great difficulty and used footpaths as alternative routes.
Police tried to negotiate with the party’s leadership to end the protest. The JI workers who were earlier protesting at the MA Jinnah road also tried to reach Shahra-e-Faisal.
At the time of Naeem’s arrest, a scuffle also broke out between the party workers and police.
Earlier, Hafiz Naeem held a press conference, where he said that the issue is not related to the party’s protest at Shahra-e-Faisal but of going against the KE.
He said that the party does not want to disrupt the peace of the city, adding that the JI only planned to protest against overcharging of electricity consumers.
The JI spokesman said that police had blocked routes coming from and to the JI institution, adding that police mobiles and water tankers had been put in place to block the routes. – Agencies
