KARACHI, Jan 7: Police foiled the All-Parties Democratic Movement’s protest rally by resorting to baton-charge and making arrest of the political activists who were converging on Empress Market on Monday afternoon.

Though police denied any arrest, the APDM claimed that 30 people were rounded up and shifted to Saddar and Preedy police stations. When contacted, the duty officers at the two police stations said that not a single protester was in their lock-ups.

The democratic movement stated that 16 people were arrested by Saddar police and 14 others were picked up by Preedy police when they were converging on Empress Market for the rally demanding arrest of the assassins of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and supporting the aggrieved party’s demand that the United Nations be asked to send a commission to investigate the PPP leader’s murder.

APDM spokesman Yusuf Masti Khan, who is also central vice-president of the National Workers Party, condemned the use of brute force by police against peaceful protesters.

He said there was neither any state of emergency prevailing in the country nor Section 144 imposed in the city which could bar gathering of people when they were arrested. He termed the police action of state terrorism.

He urged all the political parties whose candidates were in the run for the coming elections to boycott the polls and join hands to force Pervez Musharraf to step down.

He alleged that President Musharraf had bargained over the country’s sovereignty.