Three different protests held; 35 arrested

As many as 35 protesters were arrested while one other injured when they tried to enter in red zone in the limits of Artillery Maidan police station on Thursday. According to eye-witnesses, three different protest demonstrations - Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party (STPP), Nadra Employees' Association of Pakistan and Agriculture Department (Water Management), were staged at Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Thursday.
They said the workers of STPP expressed resentment over the killing of his senior party worker namely Aamir, who was alleged as dacoit and was killed by police during encounter. While, the employees of Nadra and AD staged protest demonstrations to get their demands accepted by the respective managements.
Meanwhile, the protesters of one of the demos, who tried to enter in red zone and wanted to approach Chief Minister House for demonstration, faced stiff resistance from the law enforcers. They said the law enforcers had indiscriminately used batons and fired teargas to foil the said attempt that led to abrogate other peaceful protests. They said this scuffle between the law enforcers and the protesters has left one person injured while over three dozens other arrested.
Zafar Somoro, finance secretary, Nadra Employees' Association of Pakistan claimed that the injured was the employee of Nadra, adding that the employees of Nadra have been demonstrating sit-in protest for last three days to suppress the management to make contractual workers permanent. He said some 1500 contractual employees have been working in Nadra for over a decade but the management despite having directives of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in 2009 are reluctant to give them permanent status.
When contacted, SSP Naeem Sheikh claimed that the employees of AD had scuffled with the law enforcers and tried to approach CM house for protest. Meanwhile, the law enforcers had intercepted the protesters and refrained them entering in red zone but they engaged in quarrel that compelled the law enforcers to use batons and teargas, freely.
SSP Naeem has also confirmed the arrests but shown his incognisance about the exact number, saying that the arrests were made indiscriminately hence the police would first identify the responsible persons before registering case in this regard. DSP Pretty Ali Asif said the police had detained some 35 persons and added that the action was taken when the protesters, who were trying to enter in red zone, tore the uniform of one of the law enforcers when they were intercepted. He said although the case has so far not been registered, the FIR would be lodged as the protesters were found guilty as per Section 144 of the act.