KARACHI: Police on Sunday lobbed teargas shells and used water cannon to disperse ‘Fix It’ campaigners who were protesting outside the Karachi Press Club against poor quality education in Karachi and tried to move towards Governor House, officials and witnesses said.

Around 50-60 protesters led by founder of the Fix It arrived at the press club and held a protest demonstration against poor quality education in Karachi’s institutions. As they tried to move towards Governor House, police personnel advanced towards them to quell the demonstration by firing teargas shells and using water cannon.

The police also sealed off the road leading to Governor House, causing traffic jam on adjacent roads in the area.

“Seven protesters were arrested for rioting,” said Karachi-South DIG Azad Khan.

The Artillery Maidan police registered a case against them under sections 147 (punishment for rioting) and 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The DIG South said that the protesters also attacked policemen.

He said it was agreed between the protesters and the police authorities that they would restrict their protest to the KPC. However, the campaigners did not follow their commitment and started moving towards Governor House, he said. They also instigated other people to join them, he added.

DIG Azad Khan said that the vicinity was part of the ‘red zone’ where holding such protests was not allowed.

Besides, the prime minister was in the city and was to move in the area, he said, and added that the police had to disperse the protesters by using force because the demonstration could have created a security issue.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2017