KARACHI: The Sind Provincial Assembly yesterday [July 7] passed the controversial Language Bill, after the Opposition had staged a walk-out in protest… . As the Speaker disallowed the amendments saying that these were time-barred, Members demanding Urdu also as an official language along with Sindhi tore the Bill into bits, walked out, and abstained from the rest of the proceedings… . Out of the 18 members of the Opposition, 11 walked out of the House, while seven voted for it. In all, 50 members … voted for the Bill. — Staff reporter

[Staff reporter adds from Karachi,] Curfew was imposed in Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, and Golimar from 8 p.m. yesterday [July 7], following day-long clashes between the police and pro-Urdu demonstrators in these areas, in which nearly 100 persons were injured, 15 of them seriously. … Police resorted to repeat tear gas shelling and lathi-charge on the demonstrating crowds in Nazimabad and Liaquatabad, who were protesting against the Sind Language Bill. …

While complete Hartal was observed in the city in response to the call given by the Opposition members in the Sind Assembly and the Urdu Tehrik Committee, the trouble started when road barricades were set up … and the police tried to remove them.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2022