KARACHI, 30 July — Police in Karachi yesterday fired warning shots and detained some 30 activists of Jafria Students Organization (JSO), the student wing of Tehrik-e-Jafria Pakistan, during a demonstration against alleged Israeli atrocities on Palestinians.
The JSO, which had organized the rally, alleged later that dozens of its members had been injured in the melee.
Witnesses said police had blocked the main Soldier Bazar road to prevent the protesters from marching toward the main M. A. Jinnah Road.
Police said they arrested some 30 members of the Tehik-e-Jafria Pakistan (TJP) party, including the general secretary of Tehrik-e-Jafria, Syed Raziuddin Rizvi, its Sindh chief, Hasan Turabi, because they violated the official ban on public rallies.
Witnesses said police used batons, tear gas and fired warning shots as around 150 TJP activists tried to block a road in the eastern district of the city.
The protesters were chanting anti-Israel slogans, “Down with Israel, Long Live the Palestinian struggle” witnesses said.
“Is this a pro-Israel government that doesn’t even allow a rally in support of our Palestinian brothers and sisters to condemn Israeli atrocities,” Turabi said before he was pushed into a police van. A stand-off continued for an hour before police managed to disperse the crowd.
The president of JSO condemned the police action at a press conference later and demanded immediate release of those detained.
