Hide collection triggers armed clashes

Although the Sindh government claimed to have beefed up security to avoid violence over hide collection, several armed clashes erupted in many parts of the city during Eid-ul-Azha. Various areas remained tense after clashes among different political and religious organisations over hide collection. The areas included Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Federal B Area and New Karachi.
The first incident took place at Block 14, Gulistan-e-Jauhar where over a dozen gunmen barged into the seminary Abdul Uloom and walked off with dozens of hides at gunpoint. Although the police confirmed armed clash over hide collection but denied the gunmen took away hides from the seminary. The seminary administration alleged that the culprits snatched dozens of hides at gunpoint besides ransacking the office. Similarly, more violent clashes were witnessed at Daak Khana Stop, Khokhrapar and Malir where heavy fire was traded between political rivals.
Police said the clash took place after the workers of rival political parties reached the same house to collect the hide of sacrificial animal. They said the gunbattle did not claim any life, however, the area remained tense because of heavy gunshots. New Karachi, Baldia and Orangi Town also remained tense because of armed clashes over hide collection. But the situation was later brought into control by the LEAs.
In Jauharabad police remits, armed men stormed a house in Block 9, Federal B Area and held the inhabitants hostage and snatched the hides of their sacrificial animals. Police suspected the incident took place over political rivalry. Despite tall claims of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) regarding comprehensive arrangements for disposal of offal during Eid-ul-Azha, several areas of the city - Gulshan Iqbal, F B Area, Liaquatabad, Guru Mandir, Saddar, etc, suffered heavily on account of non-disposal and stink of offal.
The CDGK claimed to have dug up some 20 trenches at designated sites for the safe disposal of offal besides setting up 20 makeshift places as collection points for offal but the same were dumped at open places in almost every town of the metropolis, creating health hazard. Although the CDGK has engaged 500 employees and 150 machinery and vehicles to ensure swift and immediate lifting and disposal of offal, the said operation appeared ineffective to facilitate the Karachiites during Eid.