KARACHI - Police on Sunday arrested a renowned civil society activist and founder of ‘Fix it’ campaign, Alamgir Khan, along with his several associates while he was trying to head towards Governor’s House as part of protest against poor state of education in the province.
Khan, while talking to newsmen, said that the protesters had no plans to target anyone, a particular personality or party. “Their objective was to highlight the poor quality of education, and we had also invited Sindh governor to our protest,” he clarified.
He said that he and his friends had started moving towards the Governor’s House when the governor didn't come out to join them. “Police then used teargas shells against us besides water cannons and started beating us with batons," Khan explained. "Some of our activists have been arrested and we are trying to know about their whereabouts,” he added.
Earlier, a large number of activists and supporters of ‘Fix it’ gathered outside the Karachi Press Club, and registered their protest against poor quality of education. However, the situation turned violent and the area turned into a battle ground for an hour after the protesters attempted to march towards the Governor’s House.
Extra-contingents of police were already deployed in the areas surrounding the press club while the roads leading towards the Red Zone had also been blocked by erecting barricades.
As soon as the protesters started marching towards the Governor’s House, police resorted to shelling, used water cannons and baton-charged them after which they turned violent and reportedly pelted the police with stones.
The area remained a battleground for at least an hour where both the protesters and police continued to play hide and seek.
However, during the game, police eventually managed to catch at least seven protesters and shifted them to different police stations.
Police also registered a case in the Artillery Maidan police station against Alamgir Khan and others.
Police officials blamed the Fixit workers for creating law and order situation.
Saddar division SP Tauqeer Muhammad Naeem said that the ‘Fix it’ workers had taken law into their hands. "All and sundry are allowed to hold a protest outside the Karachi Press Club, but no protest is allowed inside the Red Zone," SP Naeem explained. "We didn't stop them from protesting outside the KPC, but suddenly they started marching towards the Red Zone and also attacked police personnel who were trying to stop them from marching onwards,” he said, and alleged that it was only when the protesters pelted the cops with stones that use of force was deemed necessary.
He said that so far seven protesters were arrested while a case had been registered against the ‘Fix it’ chief Alamgir Khan and others for entering the Red Zone and hurling stones at police.
One kg of heroin
recovered
Meanwhile, Airport Security Force (ASF) on Sunday claimed to have recovered one kilogram of heroin from a Muscat-bound passenger at the Jinnah International Airport.
The ASF team during search found the heroin hidden in the suspected passenger’s box.
ASF officials said that the suspect was trying to smuggle the heroin to Muscat, which was foiled by the ASF team on a tip-off.
Further investigation is underway.
It may be noted that earlier in August this year, ASF had recovered 1,300 grams of heroin from a Dubai-bound passenger at the Jinnah International Airport.
One kilogram of heroin was also seized earlier this year from a Jeddah-bound passenger at the same airport.