KARACHI: At least six persons were injured while an MPA of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was arrested following incidents of post-polling violence in the city on Sunday, police said.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that at least six persons including one in critical condition were brought at different hospitals who got injured in clashes.

Al-Falah police SHO Badar Shakeel said that Osama —a chief polling agent of Jamaat-i-Islami —was injured when they clashed outside the polling station in Rifa-i-Aam Society with the supporters of an independent candidate — Amin Qureshi – after the end of the voting time.

She said that in evening, five injured persons were also brought from Gulshan-i-Maymar at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

They were identified as Shahid Rind, 34, Huzaifa Izhar, 29, Hammad Atif, 27, Athar Khan, 26, and Bilal Saeed, 26.

The police surgeon said they received injuries on different parts of their bodies caused by hard and blunt instruments. All of them were discharged after first aid.

“Barring a few minor incidents, no major untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the metropolis during LG elections,” said Karachi police chief Javed Alam Odho.

The city police chief told Dawn that during polling, scuffles were reported. However, after the end of voting, some incidents of violence occurred, injuring few persons. The police took action and arrested a member of Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Rabistan Khan, among others. He added that a case would be registered against the lawmaker on complaint of ‘other side’ whose three to four workers were injured during the clash in Gulshan-i-Maymar.

Meanwhile, police arrested PTI candidate Amjad Iqbal Afridi and others over charges of beating a presiding officer and snatching ballot papers from them.

In another incident in Shah Faisal Colony, the police detained local PTI leader Adeel who attempted to snatch the poll related material from the PO.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2023