Case registered under terror charges after participants of Sindh Culture Day rally clash with police in Karachi

A first information report (FIR) has been registered under terrorism charges after one of the many rallies taken out in Karachi to mark Sindh Culture Day on Sunday turned violent, it emerged on Monday.

Police on Sunday resorted to tear gas shelling to prevent participants of the rally from moving towards the Red Zone via Sharea Faisal and detained 45 people, 12 of whom were later released. According to the police, participants of the rally attacked personnel, who then responded with baton-charging and tear gas shelling.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, a case has now been registered against 12 named individuals arrested at the scene and “300-400” unidentified individuals.

The case has been registered under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 144 (joining unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon), 324 (attempted murder), 186 (obstructing public servants), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant), 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

The complainant, Inspector Abdul Majeed Abro, said that he and other police personnel were present near the Finance and Trade Centre (FTC) flyover on Sharae Faisal at 2:30pm on Sunday when a rally, consisting of around 300-400 people on motorcycles and cars, appeared from the direction of the airport, heading toward Saddar.

“Keeping in view the ban on gatherings due to the imposition of Section 144 in the province, police personnel attempted to stop the participants of the rally,” he said.

However, the participants of the rally blocked the main thoroughfare on both sides and began pelting police with stones while also opening fire, he said.

He further said that the participants of the rally also damaged cars that were passing by, including a rescue ambulance and a police mobile, adding that they were also shouting “anti-state” slogans.

“Subsequently, police personnel, with the help of officers present on the scene, fired tear gas at the participants to prevent them from damaging property,” he said.

Celebrated on the first Sunday of December each year, Sindh Cultural Day was first observed in 2009. Political parties, social organisations and civil society, as well as government bodies, organise a wide range of events, including seminars, debates, folk music programmes, theatrical performances and literary sittings to highlight the rich culture and history of Sindh.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar had taken strict notice of Sunday’s incident and ordered immediate action against those involved.

South Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza told Dawn on Sunday that law enforcers had asked the rally participants to use the Lines Area route towards Saddar and subsequently the venue of the rally at Karachi Press Club (KPC), but “they were bent upon using the Sharea Faisal from Jinnah Bridge”.

“They allegedly pelted stones at the police when they were stopped, resulting in injuries to five policemen,” he had said, adding that this prompted the police to resort to tear gas shelling to disperse them.

When asked why the law enforcers had blocked the road at the FTC flyover, the DIG had said that an advisory was issued pertaining to the cultural day, as multiple rallies and cultural processions were expected to assemble at the FTC and intended to move towards the KPC via Sharea Faisal.

He had said that around 10-12 rallies came from different parts of the metropolis and reached Fawara Chowk/KPC with around 17,000 to 18,000 participants.