KARACHI: The Sindh government has imposed a one-month ban on demonstrations, rallies and assembly of more than five persons in the so-called red zone of the metropolis.

The decision was announced hours before the scheduled protest of Majlis-i-Wahdat-i-Muslimeen outside Chief Minister House against the Shikarpur carnage.

A ‘long march’ organised by the MWM entered Karachi from Shikarpur on Tuesday evening and the participants were heading towards the Numaish traffic intersection when the news of the one-month ban came.

The Sindh government, however, claimed that the decision was “taken to maintain law and order”.

According to a notification, the government, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 144(6) of the criminal procedure code, has imposed a ban on protests, demonstrations and assembly of more than five persons in the red zone for a period of 30 days with immediate effect.

Sindh Governor House, Sindh Assembly, Sindh Secreta­riat and Bilawal House are the places where the protests, rallies, etc are banned.

Families of the victims of the Shikarpur Imambargah attack and MWM sympathisers took out a long march from Shikarpur.

Leaders and workers of different parties welcomed them when they reached Karachi.

“The leaders would go to the Numaish traffic intersection in the form of a rally where they address the protesters,” said an MWM spokesman.

“A large number of Karachiites are expected to join the protest and then we would move to CM House to stage a sit-in, which will continue till the demands of the victims’ families are met.”

HYDERABAD: MWM sec­re­tary general Raja Nasir Abbas talking to journalists at the Hyder­abad bypass near Wadhu Wah on Tuesday said that despite being provided with lists of alleged terrorists, the government had not launched a crackdown on terrorists responsible for the tragic incident of Shikarpur.

He was leading activists of religious organisations who had gathered at the bypass after taking out a rally from Qadam Gah Maula Ali.

They also staged a sit-in and blocked one side of the bypass for four hours to welcome the caravan of the heirs of the Shikarpur tragedy.

The caravan arrived Hyder­abad after visiting various towns of Sindh.

Addressing the gathering, MWM central deputy general secretary Ameen Shah­eedi demanded that all those seminaries which were fanning flames of extremism and sectarian violence be banned. He also pleaded for imposing a ban on organisations being run by alleged terrorists.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP)-Noorani president Sah­i­b­zada Abul Khair Moha­m­mad Zubair, Jaferia Allia­nce Pakistan Hyderabad pre­si­dent Qasim Hussain Jafferi, Allama Mohammad Abbas Zaidi and others were present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2015

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