Karachi police have fired tear gas shells and baton-charged a rally of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) against alleged rigging in the general elections.

Soldier Bazaar police Station House Officer (SHO) Shahzad Ilyas said that TLP workers tried to gather at a busy intersection at Numaish Chowrangi on main M.A. Jinnah Road near Mazar-i-Quaid.

As law enforcers did not allow them to gather there, the TLP workers staged a sit-in at Nishtar Park in Soldier Bazaar, the SHO said, adding that the police resorted to “light” baton charges and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

TLP spokesperson Rehan Khan claimed that around 40 workers were detained while the SHO said around 17-18 activists were taken into custody. The detainees were later released without charges.