SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) — Hide and seek continued for hours between protesters and police near Numaish Chowrangi here on Tuesday, as unidentified men torched three vehicles.
A heavy contingent of police tried to stop the participants of the rally arranged by Shia Action Committee (SAC), as they tried to march towards Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) office along Shahrah-e-Faisal against the ban on a watchdog website.
The negotiations between SAC leaders and police officials continued for hours, but went in vain. Later, scores participants turned violent when a heavy contingent of police tried to stop them from marching towards PTA office.
Police used tear gas and opened heavy aerial firing to disburse the protesters shouting slogans against PTA and its officials. Panic and fear creep up in surrounding areas as tear gas smoke and aerial firing continued between the protesters and police. Massive traffic jam was also reported from Numaish Chowrangi towards MA Jinnah Road.
SAC leader Maulana Mirza Yousuf Hussain, who led the rally, said that the decision of blocking the site was a bias by PTA officials. He demanded of the government to play its due role for restating the site. It is pertinent to mention here that a week ago the regulatory body blocked the site. It had also blocked the official website of the Ahmadiyya community, which was unblocked later.
Following the incident, unidentified persons set at least three passenger vehicles on fire. At least four participants of the rally, including a girl, were wounded when the police fired teargas shells while police also detained at least four men for rioting. The rally dispersed after police high ups ensured them of their full cooperation. staff report— www.shafaqna.com/english/
