The Karachi Police on Monday briefly detained government employees protesting for pay hikes and promotions after initially using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.

Traffic snarls were also caused in several areas due to the confrontations.

South Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.com, “Eighty-seven [protesters were] arrested and released on commitment to call off the protest,” adding that their future course of action would be announced after 13th Muharam.

He said the police initially took action as negotiations among the representatives of the employees and officials failed. “The Sindh Employees’ Alliance (SEA) — an alliance of different departments of Sindh government employees — were marching towards the Chief Minister’s House.

“The SEA has made three major demands, including an increase of 70 per cent salaries and pension of Sindh employees of Sindh from grade 1 to 22, granting DRA (disparity reduction allowance) of 50pc to all employees of the same grades, and group insurance and benevolent fund after retirement to all employees of the said grades as per pattern of Balochistan government.”

DIG Raza said that the leaders of the alliance held talks with officials, including with him, Planning and Development Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Karachi commissioner and finance secretary at the Commissioner’s office.

“The talks failed as there was no agreement,” he said, adding that the protesters gathered outside the Karachi Press Club in the morning and planned to move towards the CM House.

The roads near the CM House were already barricaded by the law enforcement agencies, he said, adding that police used water cannons to disperse protesters marching towards the Aiwan-i-Saddar Road, near the Governor House.

Witnesses and protesting leaders told Dawn.com that the police used tear gas shells as well.

“They were dispersed and diverted towards the venue of the protest at the Karachi Press Club after the police action,” DIG Raza said, adding that no one was arrested.

Speaking to the media outside the KPC, SEA’s Ashraf Khaskheli, Zamir Chandio, and other leaders said the police resorted to “torture” while dispersing the protesters.

They said that they would plan a future course of action and were planning to move towards Bilawal House in Clifton for their demands.

The leaders claimed that provincial minister Nasir Shah had “accepted” their demands, but Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah sought three days for talks.

Earlier today, Nasir told the media that the Sindh government would try to address the legitimate demands of the employees.

“It has been a priority of the PPP-led government to provide jobs to the youth,” Nasir said, adding that he would present the demands before CM Murad.

He further said that while everyone had the right to protest, such protests should not happen as they cause inconvenience to the general public.

Separately, South SSP (Traffic) Suhai Aziz told Dawn.com, “Four main roads, namely Aiwan-i-Saddar, Dr Ziauddin Ahmad Road, Din Muhammad Wafai Road and Sarwar Shaheed, have been closed by district police.”

The traffic police chief said that 4pm to 7pm were considered peak hours when “traffic is moving bumper to bumper”.

“Due to the closure of the four major roads, there is a major impact on adjacent roads like I.I. Chundrigar Road, Abdullah Haroon, M.T. Khan and Saddar,” she added.

According to traffic alerts issued by the Karachi police, the roads were closed due to “security reasons”. The alerts said, “Traffic from PIDC Chowk is being diverted towards Club Road, and from State Life Building towards B. Mountain Road,” adding, “Traffic from Sultanabad Chowki is being directed towards Mai Kolachi Road and Boat Basin.

“Traffic from Fountain Chowk is being diverted towards Zainab Market, and from Thana Gali towards M.R. Kiani Chowrangi,” they added.