KARACHI: The protest sit-in against the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Act 2021 organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) continued for the third day on Sunday outside the Sindh Assembly building.

The participants of the sit-in said they had rejected the pressure from the authorities to change the venue of their protest.

The JI-Karachi leaders Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and Dr Osama Razi in their speeches warned that any action from the government to sabotage their peaceful protest would lead to serious consequences.

They asked the government to show seriousness and hold talks if it really wanted to address the people’s issues.

Protest against local govt law outside assembly building enters third day

A large number of people including delegations from various cooperative societies, organisations and interior areas of the province visited the sit-in on the third day to express solidarity with them.

Hafiz Naeem said that his party was peaceful as it believed in democratic struggle.

“So the sit-in is going on for three days without any violence,” he said. “But if the government attempts to disrupt this peaceful protest it will have to face consequences.”

The city JI chief continued: “I warn them that not only Sindh secretariat will be blocked but sit-ins will also be spread across the city if the Sindh government uses force against the protesters.”

He further said that the protest was aimed at recovering the usurped rights of the people in Karachi and other areas of the province.

Osama Razi said on the occasion that the government would realise the situation in Karachi once its ministers would be back in the city after enjoying their holidays.

“The government will have to deliver the due rights of Karachi,” he said and demanded jobs for the youths of the metropolis.

He said that it should be clear that the JI would continue its struggle till the Sindh government reversed its “black law” that resulted in snatching of functions and powers of the local government set-up.

He also criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan for increasing miseries of the masses.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2022