KARACHI: Police arrested Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Faisal Vawda on Wednesday after hours-long suffering of Karachiites amid a massive traffic jam on Sharea Faisal where dozens of his supporters and other groups staged rallies occupying both tracks of the key thoroughfare.

The PTI leadership in an announcement disassociated itself from the Vawda-led rally, citing that the party had nothing to do with it. According to the party leadership, the Karachi-based PTI leader decided on his own to take out the rally on Sharea Faisal.

Led by SSP-South Rao Anwaar, some police officials were seen taking Mr Vawda to the Airport police station from the Star Gate amid scuffles and resistance from PTI workers.

“There were only a few dozen people who violated the rules and blocked both side of tracks which caused suffering to thousands of people,” said SSP Anwaar.

Airport police detain Vawda for causing wrongful restraint

“We moved only after the protesters failed to understand our warnings and insisted to defy the rules. We have detained him [Mr Vawda]. The action will be taken in line with the defined laws,” he said.

Earlier, people suffered traffic congestion on Sharea Faisal when a section of civil society carrying national flags and chanting slogans took to the main road at around 3pm and blocked the track from Drigh Road to Star Gate. They were already on the road when Pakistan Steel Mills workers chose the same spot to stage protest against non-payment of salaries.

The situation worsened when another rally, led by Mr Vawda, arrived with a decorated float depicting solidarity with the law enforcement agencies and slogans against corruption. With a number of vehicles stuck on both tracks, the pressure of traffic stretched further with the rally and two tracks were closed for vehicular movement.

Both the traffic and police authorities were silent when asked about any effort from their side to normalise the traffic, which remained suspended on Sharea Faisal for more than four hours and led to the collapse of traffic system on other major roads.

The impact of the massive traffic jam was felt up to Karsaz with thousands of vehicles, including ambulances, seen stuck on Sharea Faisal for hours.

The law enforcers moved only after the sunset when a heavy contingent of police arrived near Star Gate and used tear gas and baton charge to disperse the demonstrators.

According to the police, an FIR was registered against Faisal Vawda under Section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Although Mr Vawda himself along with dozens of people carrying party flags and chanting slogans in favour of their party had staged the demonstration, PTI spokesman Naeem-ul-Haq took no time to deny PTI’s link with the rally.

He said: “The PTI has nothing to do with this rally.”

He added it was all decided and initiated by Mr Vawda on his own. “Mr Vawda had not taken the party leadership into confidence about it neither we were informed about any such programme. The PTI firmly believes in people’s support and it can’t organise any show without any proper planning that causes inconvenience to the Karachiiites.”

Published in Dawn September 8th, 2016