HYDERABAD, March 14: The Sunni Tehrik’s strike call backed by other religious parties got mixed response in Sindh on Friday as strike was observed in a few cities. However, protest rallies were staged across the province in protest against publication of blasphemous caricatures in Danish newspapers,

Complete strike was observed in Mirputrkhas where six ST activists were arrested for forcing shopkeepers to close shops and resorting to aerial firing.

Partial strike was observed in Hyderabad, Larkana, Kandhkot, Thul, Tangwani and neighbouring towns.

Shops in Latifabad and other parts of Hyderabad city remained opened. A number of aerial firing incidents were reported in parts of Latifabad in which two persons including a pedestrian and a Pan cabin owner received bullet injuries.

Windowpanes of four point buses of Sindh University and Mehran University of Engineering and Technology were smashed by protesters when the buses arrived in Latifabad to pick up students.

Abdul Wahid, an aged man, who owns a Pan cabin near Siddiqui Plaza, Latifabad-8, received bullet injuries in thigh. He was taken to Bhitai Hospital where his condition is stated to be out of danger.

In another identical incident in unit-12 near Sabzi Mandi, Nazeer Ahmed received bullet injuries on shoulder when unidentified armed people resorted to firing in the area.

Police constable Abid received injuries in his head when he fell on ground while he was trying to board a speedy police van that was chasing miscreants in Latifabad-12. Shops that had opened in the said localities in the morning were closed following the incident which created harassment.

Police said that ST activist Kamran Qadri had been arrested and he was found in possession of a pistol and four live bullets. A case is being lodged against him.

District convener of the ST Ameen Qadri said that an activist, Abdul Rasheed, received bullet injuries near Piyala hotel in Latifabad-8 but his condition is out of danger. However, the police rejected his claim, saying that no such incident has taken place.

Meanwhile, ST workers staged a rally in the city that began from Phulelli and after marching on different roads, ended in Qasimabad.In Mirpurkhas, main markets, bazaars, petrol pumps and hotels remained closed. Activists of the ST resorted to aerial firing and burnt tyres at different places. They took out a rally from Railway Station roundabout which, after marching on main roads, ended at the press club.

Protest rallies were also taken out in Mirwah Gorchani, Jhuddo, Kot Ghulam Mohammad, Samaro.

In Sukkur, scores of ST activists took out a rally and staged a demonstration at the Clock Tower. The rally started from Dhak

Road and passing through main roads of the city reached the Clock Tower where the participants forced shopkeepers to close their shops.

In the meantime, a heavy contingent of police reached there and a scuffle took place between the ST activists and police, after which the police arrested eight protesters.

It sparked anger among the protestors and sensing the gravity of the situation, the police released the arrested activists.

Rallies were staged in Nawabshah, Moro, Shikarpur, Jacobabad and other towns of Sindh.