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KARACHI, Aug 17: A funeral procession turned violent, on Sunday, when its participants pelted the police with stones and damaged property on their way to Sakhi Hasan graveyard from Imambargah Babul Ilm in North Nazimabad.
A car, five motorcycles and a traffic police kiosk were set afire and private property was damaged by the participants of the funeral procession. Police fired teargas shells and baton-charged the participants to control the situation.
People started gathering at Imambargah Babul Ilm at Zuhar to participate in the funeral prayer of Dr Ibne Hasan, who was gunned down by unidentified motorcyclists in Malir on Saturday morning. His death had sparked violence in Malir leading to suspension of vehicular traffic on the National Highway and the rail traffic on the main tracks for more than 14 hours.
Soon after the funeral prayers at Babul Ilm, the procession carried the body to Sakhi Hasan graveyard for burial.
On way to the cemetery, the participants turned violent and set a car and three motorcycles on fire. They also smashed the glasses and windscreens of dozens of vehicles besides damaging three petrol pumps and a KFC restaurant in North Nazimabad.
The protesters also pelted marriage halls with stones and damaged other property. Shops all along the route of the procession remained closed. Shops were also closed in Malir, Jaffar-i-Tayyar Society, Ancholi in Federal B Area, Rizvia Society, Gulbahar, and some other areas.
As the procession reached the Sakhi Hasan roundabout, the participants attacked a traffic police check-post and set it ablaze. The police tried to control the situation and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the people, who pelted the police with stones. It resulted clash between the police and the participants of the funeral procession. As soon as the situation was brought under control, the procession went ahead towards the graveyard.
Another clash was witnessed at the graveyard, where police again resorted to teargas shelling to control the situation.
Earlier, the National Highway and the railway tracks, which were blocked by the protesters on Saturday, were reopened at 2am on Sunday for traffic following the successful talks between the representatives of protesters and the government.
PRESS NOTE: Meanwhile, Sindh government issued a press note about the incident.
It states as the mourners started arriving at the Imambargah Babul Ilm, North Nazimabad, for the funeral prayers, youngsters pelted stones at the KFC out let in front of the Imambargah.
Police fired six tear gas shells to disburse the unruly mob. However, on the assurance of some Shia leaders, the police and Rangers held back, the press note said.
On the way, the processionists pelted the passing vehicles with stones. The traffic on the main road was already diverted.
They also ransacked three petrol pumps and 12 marriage halls, although those were closed, the press note adds.
When the procession turned to Sakhi Hasan graveyard from roundabout, about 100 youngsters on motorcycles stayed back. They put traffic kiosk on fire and burnt the motorcycle of SO traffic of the area.
The police and Rangers dispersed the crowd and arrested 28 persons for damaging the property.
