KARACHI: Nine leaders of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have been booked for violating the loudspeaker act, section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 'harassing commuters' here on Thursday night.

According to police sources, the cases have been registered at the Soldier Bazaar police station against Farooq Sattar, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Nasreen Jalil, Wasay Jalil, Faisal Sabzwari, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Waseem Akhtar and other leaders of MQM.

The case number 416/15 has been registered in connection with the MQM’s rally earlier on Thursday through which they registered their protest against the arrest of their party workers as well as raids conducted by Rangers at their party offices.

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The FIR cites that 1,500 to 2,000 workers of the MQM gathered at MA Jinnah Road to protest against the government, during which the Loud Speaker Act was violated as party leaders made speeches.

Police also booked the MQM leaders for creating hurdles for the general public through blocking roads. The case was registered under section 147/149/341/ Sindh Sound System section 6/7.

The rally was turned into a sit-in at Numaish Chowrangi after police barred the protesters from moving towards the Red Zone.

The protest rally, started from Liaquatabad, was scheduled to culminate at the Rangers Headquarters located near Sindh Assembly, but police stopped the participants near Numaish Chowrangi.

Later the sit-in ended after MQM leader Amir Khan ordered the party supporters and workers to disperse peacefully.

MQM claims that some forces are trying to portray that MQM follows the politics of violence and crime.