Violence hits Karachi as PTI, PPP workers clash
karachi — Workers of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) resorted to violence late on Monday night and clashed with each other near the Hakeem Saeed Ground in Gulshan-i-Iqbal area of Karachi — where both the parties want to hold a political gathering on May 12, say media reports.
Gulshan Superintendent Police Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto said that activists of both the parties hurled stones at each other, Dawn online reported.
Tension prevailed in the area throughout the day as both the parties remained at loggerheads over the matter. There were reports that members of both the parties ransacked the tents and camps of their political opponents and set them on fire. Unidentified suspects also torched “a vehicle or two” on main University Road, said senior police official. PTI leader Khurram Sherzaman condemned the incident and urged the DG Rangers Sindh to take notice of the matter.
He alleged that PTI activists were “attacked by the terrorists of the PPP”.
He also criticised the alleged inaction by police as it failed to control the violent situation.
Later, police and Rangers personnel reached the location and dispersed the violent mob and controlled the situation after an hour or two.
All shopping and commercial centres in the vicinity remained closed due to the tense situation. Both tracks of the University Road were blocked as a result traffic was suspended from Hassan Square to National Institute of Public Administration. — Agencies