KARACHI, June 13: The Pakistan Peoples Party, Sindh on Monday announced a day of protest in the province on June 16 against the arrest of the party’s Hyderabad City president and MPA, Zahid Bhurgari on ‘concocted’ charges. The protest will include peaceful sit-ins and rallies in the district headquarters and tying of black armbands, said the provincial PPP chief, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, after the decision.

Mr Shah accused the regime of crossing all limits of civilized norms and said the arrest of Zahid Bhurgari was testimony to the Arbab Rahim government’s fascism against political opponents, especially the PPP, ahead of the local government elections. He alleged that PPP activists were being implicated in fake cases and were being threatened by the chief minister to change their loyalty.

Mr Shah said the chief minister had threatened Zahid Bhurgari and other opposition members of dire consequences when they were protesting during the budget session.

He maintained that arrest and registration of a case against Mr Bhurgari was sheer vindictiveness. He warned the government of further provocation and said if the regime did not ‘behave’, it would be responsible for consequences.

He demanded that all fake cases against Mr Bhurgari be dropped and he be immediately released. Meanwhile, the Jam Saqi defence committee has announced a protest rally on Tuesday against the arrest of Jam Saqi and his wife and to demand withdrawal of cases against them. Human rights organizations have been asked to participate in the rally.