KARACHI, Jan 24: A number of protesters, mostly women, anticipating an anti-encroachment operation took to the streets and burnt tyres in Gharibabad to prevent a city government team from demolishing some structures said to be in the way of the Lyari Expressway.

The personnel of the anti-encroachment police station along with officials of the area police station were present to assist the city government staff. However, the police said, they did not take any stern action against the protesters which according to them could have caused a breakdown of law and order.

“The issue involves a 1,800-square-yard piece of government land and the people laying claim to it have lost their case in the Supreme Court,” said EDO Revenue Roshan Shaikh.

However, he added, the city government would not initiate any operation in the area until the residents were provided alternative plots.

He said that the people took to the streets and burnt tyres before the city government team reached there.

The encroached land is said to be in the way of the Lyari Expressway due to which work in this section of the mega project was stopped a long time back.

The police authorities said a heavy contingent of personnel was deployed in Bhangoria Goth to assist the anti-encroachment staff but action was not taken against the protesters in line with a strategy devised by senior officials. “We were there to assist the city government staff with all due force and assistance from the area police,” said Inspector Nayyar-ul-Haq of the anti-encroachment police station.

“Since most of the protestors were women, we didn't use force on a directive of the senior officials. Use of any kind of force could have caused a breakdown of law and order.”

He said the police managed to contain the protest and prevented it from descending into violence.

The police did not even register a case against the protesters or arrest anyone.