KARACHI, Jan 22: A protest demonstration by the women’s wing of Pakistan Peoples Party held on Monday afternoon at Regal Chowk disrupted traffic for more than an hour. The police deployed at the scene had no difficulty in rounding up and taking away the protestors as they appeared in small groups.

In the first action, more than a dozen women workers of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were arrested from Regal Chowk where they were protesting against Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

The Women Wing of PPP Karachi Division, organised a protest demonstration against the Sindh CM’s remarks against party chairperson, Benazir Bhutto.

A heavy contingent of police was deployed at Regal Chowk since morning. Around 3:00 pm the police took action and arrested the first batch of the PPP women workers numbering about two dozen including PPP President Karachi Division, Farzana Baloch, when they arrived at the venue.

The arrested workers tried to resist and raised slogans against the government, the chief minister and the police, who pushed them into mobile vans and took them away.

Soon after the arrests, PPP MNA Fauzia Wahab appeared on the scene with about the same numberof women workers.

They were shouting anti-government slogans and carrying Benazir Bhutto’s portraits and placards. Initially, police tried to stop them but after a few minutes allowed them to hold the demonstration after blocking the Regal Chowk for vehicular traffic.

Speaking to the rally Ms Wahab criticised the regime for not allowing the women to hold a peaceful demonstration. She demanded immediate release of all arrested party workers.

Thereafter Sindh PPP Secretary General Nafees Siddiqui and other leaders arrived at Regal Chowk.

Mr Siddiqui told the protesting women, who were also joined by male party workers, that the arrests could not deter the party workers and warned the authorities their party would launch protests across the country particularly in Sindh, if the women workers were not released. Later, the participants of the demonstration dispersed peacefully.

A PPP statement issued in the evening said about 24 women were arrested.

Meanwhile, PPP leaders Qaim Ali Shah, Nisar Khuhro and others condemned the baton charge and the women’s arrest. They warned chief minister Arbab Rahim not to resort to such high handed measures.

They demanded the immediate release of the arrested women and action against those responsible for the ncident.