KARACHI, Sept 23: Firing by the defunct KDA police wounded a resident of Ziaul Haq Colony in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, which led to protest by area people who took to the streets and lit bonfire at Rashid Minhas Road disrupting traffic between Gulshan Chowrangi and UBL Sports Complex on Friday.

The Gulshan police arrested five miscreants for creating law and order situation.

Earlier, a city government team had demolished several houses, located in Ziaul Haq Colony at the site of Lyari Expressway.

ASP Gulshan-i-Iqbal Noman Siddiqui told Dawn that a survey team of city government was doing its work at the colony. As the team and residents were having arguments over the compensation issues, someone from the crowd started pelting the team with stones and manhandled an official of the team.

Constables of the defunct KDA police resorted to what they claimed aerial firing in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Following the firing, the ASP added, the crowd dispersed but re-emerged in greater numbers claiming that two of the residents had died. The mob moved to Rashid Minhas Road and started pelting passing vehicles with stones and set tyres on fire. Subsequently, traffic between UBL Sports Complex and Gulshan Chowrangi was disrupted for several hours. The crowd also damaged traffic signals and marriage halls located at Rashid Minhas Road.

Police fired teargas shells on the mob to disperse them.

ASP Noman Siddiqui said that the injured resident, Salahuddin, 30, was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment.