Police in Karachi used teargas shells and baton charges on Saturday to disperse activists of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) after they attempted to march toward the Sindh Assembly to stage a sit-in highlighting the city’s worsening civic conditions and concerns over the local government system, according to media reports. The confrontation followed rising tensions between demonstrators and law enforcement as protesters tried to cross security barriers leading to the provincial legislature.
The religio-political party had earlier announced a demonstration outside the Sindh Assembly as part of its “Jeenay Do Karachi Ko” (Let Karachi Live) campaign. The protest was organised to pressure the Sindh government into taking immediate measures to address Karachi’s deteriorating infrastructure, including damaged roads, ineffective drainage systems, and declining municipal services that residents have long complained about. Party leaders framed the movement as an effort to draw attention to basic civic problems affecting millions of citizens in Pakistan’s largest city.
The situation escalated when JI supporters attempted to push past police barricades erected on routes leading to the assembly building, an area designated as a high-security Red Zone. Police responded by firing teargas and conducting baton charges to prevent protesters from advancing further. During the clashes, at least one JI worker was reported injured, while several police personnel also sustained injuries after protesters allegedly threw stones at officers.
Authorities confiscated a sound system mounted on a truck that was part of the rally and detained at least ten party workers during the operation. Despite heavy security deployment, some demonstrators managed to move beyond initial barricades and reach areas close to the Sindh Assembly before being stopped by police. A large contingent of security personnel remained stationed around the vicinity afterward to prevent further escalation and restrict additional protesters from approaching the restricted zone.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that government officials had maintained communication with Jamaat-e-Islami leadership prior to the protest and had advised them to hold demonstrations peacefully while avoiding entry into restricted areas. He said authorities had clearly warned organisers against attempting to enter the Red Zone and claimed police action became necessary after some protesters allegedly tried to force their way through and engaged in stone-pelting. Memon emphasized that law enforcement would not allow anyone to violate security rules or disrupt public order.
Jamaat-e-Islami leaders rejected the government’s version of events and strongly criticised the police response. JI Karachi chief Munim Zafar said the demonstration was intended to highlight fundamental civic issues, including shortages of water and essential public services, and accused authorities of suppressing a peaceful protest. He described the use of teargas, arrests, and physical force against party workers as unjustified and unacceptable.
Earlier statements from a JI spokesperson claimed that authorities had blocked multiple routes leading toward the assembly, forcing protesters to hold a sit-in on a nearby road instead of their intended location. According to the party, several leaders, including Muslim Parvez, Abdul Razzaq, and Sindh Assembly member Muhammad Farooq, attempted to initiate dialogue with officials at the site but found no administrative representatives available for discussions.
Speaking to reporters, MPA Muhammad Farooq announced that the protest would continue despite the restrictions, signalling the party’s intention to maintain pressure on the government. Later in the day, Munim Zafar declared that Jamaat-e-Islami would expand its agitation by organising demonstrations at ten different locations across Karachi on Sunday, protesting both the city’s civic issues and the use of force against activists during the attempted sit-in near the Sindh Assembly.
The confrontation highlights ongoing political tensions surrounding governance and urban management in Karachi, where infrastructure challenges and public service concerns remain major points of contention between opposition groups and the provincial administration.
