November 24, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa’ad 13, 1428

HYDERABAD, Nov 23: Protests rallies were brought out by the component parties of All Pakistan Democratic Movement (APDM) across Sindh on Friday in response to its countrywide call of protests against imposition of emergency in the country.

Police resorted to baton charge and arrested at least 17 activists, including women, in Hyderabad, 11 in Dadu and 10 in Jacobabad.

In Hyderabad, Awami Tehrik (AT) stole the show by staging protest on the civil courts building premises as none of other parties emerged on road. The protesters, including women, were roughed up by police as they came out of the court building. Baton-wielding policemen herded them into awaiting police vans.

Violating all norms of decency, male policemen lifted women and threw them into the prison vans which was strongly resisted by women activists as three of them fell on the road and refused to board the van. Police baton-charged male activists to catch hold of them.

Ms Asmat Manganhar fell on the road and started screaming after policemen tried to lift her and throw her into a prison van.

The police claimed arrest of 17 AT activists, including 11 women, for violating section 144 CrPC. However, a press release of the AT claimed that 60 of its activists, including 10 children and 25 women, were arrested and subjected to violence.

In Dadu, 11 AT activists were arrested outside the press club after police baton-charged their rally.

Led by district president Manzoor Samoon, they also staged a demonstration outside the press club. Police arrested 11 workers after baton charge.

In Jacobabad, PML-N activists took out a rally. They carried banners and placards and raised slogans in favour of Nawaz Sharif. The protest started from Abro House and when it reached at cinema road, heavy police contingent stopped them.

Police baton charged the protesters in which three activists were injured while about 10 activists were arrested.

In Khairpur, PML-N and its youth wing activists staged a demonstration at the residence of Syed Ghous Ali Shah. A heavy contingent of police surrounded and closed the main gate of residence of Syed Ghous Ali Shah from Friday morning to restrict the activists from taking out the procession. Police also surrounded local press club in order to foil any protest by the journalists.

In Thatta, AT and JUI activists staged protest demonstration outside the press club. Wearing black armbands, they carried banners and placards and raised slogans against General Pervez Musharraf.

Earlier, they took out a rally from Bikak chowk to local press club.

In Nawabshah, APDM activists were not allowed to take out a rally by police. As soon as activists came out of PML-N house in Ghulam Hyder Shah Colony, a heavy contingent of police surrounded and stopped them from marching ahead.

In Mirpurkhas, MMA activists staged a protest demonstration at Market chowk. The protesters carried banners and placards and raised slogans against the government.

In Badin, workers of AT, PML-N, Jamat-i-Islami and STP took out a protest rally from Quaid-i-Azam road to Kazia Wah chowk.

In Naushahro Feroze, activists took out a rally from Zamzam Hotel to press club.