KARACHI  -  At least 11 people including six policemen were wounded on Tuesday as the Karachi Police attempted to disperse sit-ins across the city against the recent killings in Parachinar.

The Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) had given the countrywide call of protests to express solidarity with the people of Parachinar, who have also been staging a sit-in since December 20 against the law and order situation as well as road closures.

MWM spokesperson Syed Ali Ahmer Zaidi alleged that the police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton-charge at 10 places including Abbas Town, Power House and Kamran Chowrangi” and got the roads cleared. However, he added, the sit-ins at three locations were continuing, namely at Numaish Chowrangi, Ancholi and Rizvia Society. He criticised what he called state tyranny against peaceful protesters.

Violence also erupted on main National Highway in Malir where police and protesters clashed, resulting in injuries to several policemen and protesters.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that four injured people, including one in critical condition with a bullet wound to the head, were brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from Malir.

She said three policemen from Malir with injuries caused by hard and blunt instruments were also brought. The police surgeon further said that three policemen were injured in clashes with the protesters at Numaish Chowrangi, two constables and the Pak Colony station house officer, and were also brought for treatment.

Dr Summaiya said one person with a gunshot injury on his left arm was brought from Numaish Chowrangi to Civil Hospital Karachi.

The senior superintendent of police (SSP) East and Sindh Rangers personnel arrived at the site to end the sit-in but to no avail.

Additionally, the participants of the sit-in at Karman Chowrangi pegged tents, while police tried to negotiate with the protestors, who refused to end the sit-in and open roads.

Earlier, the protests at Five Star Chowrangi, Shamsuddin Azeemi Road, Surjani Town, Ancholi, and Golimar Chowrangi were called off to clear pathways for commuters. Whereas, police removed obstructions and dispersed protesters from the Abul Hassan Isphani Road after a brief spell of clashes with protesters. The Sindh CM, while addressing media in Thatta, said the provincial government had last night asked the demonstrators to hold the protest at one place only without disturbing other citizens.

However, he said, they did not fulfil their commitment to end the citywide protests. The Sindh CM said the ongoing sit-ins at four more places would be removed through administrative action and talks.

“We are not against peaceful protests, nevertheless, they have hurt people,” he said. The provincial government sent relief goods for Parachinar as well, he said, adding that the issue of Parachinar would be resolved in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not here.

Murad said the government was taking action against the sit-ins which might make some people angry. “It is the government’s responsibility to address it if common men are troubled,” he said.

Earlier, MWM and a delegation of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) addressed the media after a meeting on ongoing protests and sit-ins across the city. PPP leader Saeed Ghani expressed solidarity with the bereaved families of the Parachinar tragedy victims, saying: “We are deeply grieved over the incident and extend our condolences to the martyrs’ families.”

Paying tribute to the resilience of women and children participating in the protests, the PPP leader remarked: “We salute their courage.” He added: “It is your right to protest.” However, he urged organisers of the protest sit-ins to limit their demonstrations to a single location.

On the occasion, AIG Javed Alam also spoke to the media. According to him, additional security personnel have been deployed across the city to ensure security of the sit-ins.

MWM leader Allama Hassan Zafar Naqvi said: “We respect your opinion.” However, he noted that it is not possible for him to give a definitive answer right now as various sit-ins have different organisers.

Parachinar, located in Kurram, is a tribal district near the Afghan border with a population of around 600,000. It has long been a hotspot for conflict.

Recent clashes, that erupted in November, have killed at least 130 people and triggered a humanitarian crisis, with shortages of medicine and oxygen exacerbated by the closure of the highway connecting Parachinar to Peshawar.