KARACHI: Clashes on polling day leave many wounded
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, March 28: An activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was shot and wounded while an unruly mob burnt the house of another activist in Gulistan-i-Jauhar on Sunday during the local body elections.
Police said that some unidentified gunmen opened fire at a polling camp of the Muttahida near the Safari Park in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. The MQM activist, later identified as Akmal Idrees, 30, was wounded in the firing. He was rushed to a hospital.
The incident took place soon after people had beaten Ghulam Hameed Bangash at a nearby polling camp of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal over some differences. Police said that people gathered at his constituency and chanted slogans against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. They went to the house of its candidate Hidayat and burnt the house. The fire brigade said that the accessories of the house were completely burnt.
The unruly mob took to the streets and burnt bonfire. They blocked the Pehalwan Goth roundabout. Police and Rangers personnel reached the spot and controlled the situation.
In a clash between two groups of the Muttahida and Sunni Tehrik, near Alibhai School in Mominabad, Hamidullah suffered injuries. Muttahida's MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus said that Akmal Idrees suffered a bullet wound to his abdomen and his condition was serious.
He said that the house of Haq Parast candidate Hidayat Masih was burnt. He said that reports of firing and clashes were also received from various other areas.
