The civil society members, who were arrested in Karachi late yesterday evening, have been released, police said.
Protests had broken out after at least 40 members of civil society including their leader the ‘Quaid-e-Jawan’ Jibran Nasir, who were staging a demo against banned organizations outside Sindh Chief Minister House, were detained by the cops.
According to police, the activists were allowed to go home on the orders issued from the Chief Minster House.
“Policemen rounded up the peaceful protestors in a sudden crackdown. Most of them are reported to be in the Frere Police Station lockup while others in Defence Police Station. They were arrested for rallying in the Red Zone, which is a violation of the code of conduct,” sources said.
The ‘Quaid-e-Jawan (Leader of the youth) Jibran Nasir, the protagonist of the protest movement, rejected the charge.
“We have been persecuted for we refused to break our sit-in to mount pressure on the government to halt Ahl-e-Sunnat-wal Jamaat’s (ASWJ) rally on ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day,” sources quoted an activist as saying.
Reportedly, ASWJ had, a day earlier, threatened the leaders of civil society and Government of Sindh with dire consequences for demanding and slapping a ban on the religious organization respectively.
Yesterday, the civil society had called off their protest after successful negotiations with chief minister’s assistant Shamila Farooqi, who, on the behalf of provincial government, had assured them of taking action against the banned organizations and bearing medical expensed of the injured survivors of the Shikarpur carnage.
Meanwhile dozens of other activists, friends, and family members protested in front of the police station demanding the release of their loved ones.
“We will stage a hunger strike outside Karachi Press Club against this injustice. And it will continue until our friends don’t walk out of the custody of police safe and sound,” a civil society member told the media.
According to police, five of the detainees have been set free while others will also follow the suit after their parents “submit written assurance that they will not do it again”.
On the other hand the civil society’s released activists claimed that some of their comrades are still in the captivity.
Meanwhile the banned sectarian outfit the ASWJ against whom the Quaid-e-Jawan was asking for action not only took out a rally in a blatant violation of the law but also outrightly threatened the govt. as well as the civil society activists who had “dared” ask the government to do its job.
It should be noted that less then 48 hours ago, the government had assured the protesters that “action” would be taken against banned outfits and yet went back on its word since these organisations were allowed to indulge in political activities.
When the Quai-e-Jawan asked the weak, pusillanimous Sindh government to keep its word. It under the instructions of an over 80 year old CM responded by arresting him instead along with other activists including women!
