KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Friday staged protest sit-ins on 13 major points in Karachi against fatal accidents due to reckless driving by heavy vehicle drivers, surge in street crimes and growing public safety hazard posed by uncovered and poorly maintained manholes.

The protesters carrying placards and banners chanted slogans against lawlessness. They said “corruption and mismanagement” on the part of the PPP government in Sindh had further aggravated the situation.

The JI Karachi chief, Monem Zafar, held a press conference earlier in the day at the party headquarters Idara Noor-i-Haq and later addressed one of the sit-ins.

He said that 254 people were killed and 12,000 others injured this year by heavy vehicles.

He added that similarly, 25 Karachiites were shot dead by robbers, and 24 citizens, including children lost their lives this year alone in manholes and gutters.

Holds protest sit-ins on 13 major city points

“Despite all this, the Sindh government’s sole focus appears to be on issuing e-challans,” he said.

The Pakistan Peoples Party’s mindset “is feudal and landlord-driven”, and its 17-year rule “represents the worst combination of incompetence, corruption and mis-governance” he added. He said the PPP-led Sindh government has destroyed every institution in Karachi and seized control of its resources, leaving the city hostage to a corrupt system.

“Our demands are clear,” he said. “Citizens must be protected from heavy traffic and armed criminals; the business community must be freed from extortion and provided protection from organised extortionists; Karachi’s infrastructure must be restored; and heavy vehicles must be strictly regulated according to laws.”

The party staged sit-ins on major roads and central arteries of the city, including Kala Board National Highway, Tibet Centre (M.A. Jinnah Road), Dawood Chowrangi, Korangi Crossing, Power House Chowrangi (North Karachi), University Road (Meteorological Department), Dolmen Mall Hyderi (Sher Shah Suri Road), Liaquatabad No.10, Shahrah-e-Orangi No.5, Garden Office (Hub River Road), Pracha Chowk (Sher Shah), and Sohrab Goth Superhighway. ­

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025