Police used ‘expired’ tear-gas shells against protesters: JI

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Chief, Monem Zafar on Monday alleged that police used “expired” tear-gas shells during a crackdown on a peaceful protest outside the Sindh Assembly, calling the action a heavy-handed and undemocratic response by the provincial government.

He made the remarks while chairing a meeting of district-level party leaders at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the JI Karachi headquarters.

According to the party, the meeting strongly condemned police baton charges, arrests, and extensive tear-gas shelling against protesters who had gathered to demand resolution of Karachi’s civic issues and the establishment of an empowered local government.

The meeting described the operation as anti-Karachi and undemocratic, and demanded the immediate release of 30 arrested party workers, withdrawal of terrorism charges, and medical care for the injured.

The gathering reaffirmed that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue its struggle for what it called the legitimate and constitutional rights of Karachi’s roughly 35 million residents, including improved civic services and a stronger local government system. It also vowed to continue protests against alleged police violence and arrests carried out on the directives of provincial authorities.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026