Karachi, The entire Sindh province was paralyzed as the complete shutter down and wheel-jam strike was observed almost in all the cities and towns on Wednesday on the call of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Movement supported by all other nationalist parties demanding proper lab tests to ascertain the actual cause of death of JSQM chairman Bashir Khan. The JSQM leadership suspected that Bashir Khan, who died on Saturday last early morning near Sakrand town on the way to Karachi, was poisoned to death. The JSQM suspects that its chairman was eliminated through a conspiracy. Complete strike was reported from Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabd (Nawabshah), Ghotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Daharki, Ubauro, Adilpur, Khanpur Mahar, Dadu, Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Qambar, Shahdadkot, Naudero, Ratodero, Sehwan, Dokri, Shikarpur, Noshehro Feroz, Moro, Bhiria, Kanyaro, Larkana, Kotri, Jamshoro, Matiyari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Gharo, Jati, Mirpur Sakro, Sujawal, Mithi, Badin, Matli and many other towns. Protest demonstrations were also held in various towns by JSQM workers besides burning tyres on roads and blocking thoroughfares. Seven vehicles have been torched across Sindh while three bogies of a train have been set on fire in Kotri last night. Meanwhile, police claimed to have arrested several arsonists. The Hyderabad and Larkana education boards cancelled Wednesday’s paper of class 10th in the wake of strike. In Hyderabad, unidentified armed men resorted to aerial firing in city’s Haider Chowk, Qasimabad, Wahdat Colony, Heerabad, Tower Market and Naseem Nagar areas, forcing shopkeepers to close down markets. Armed men opened indiscriminate fire on vehicles and also pelted stones, triggering panic and fear in Sabzi Mandi and Naya Pul areas. Unidentified miscreants resorted to aerial firing in Makrani Para, Wahdat Colony and on Autobhan Road ahead of strike. Two people were injured in firing in taluka Latifabad Unit 7 and Unit 10 of Hyderabad late Tuesday night, police said. In Ubauro the activists of nationalist parties clashed with police when it tried to disperse protesting people who had torched old tyres. A rally was also taken out in Ubauro. In Mirpur Mathelo three crackers were exploded at different places. In Mithi, the headquarter town of Desert district Tharparkar, shutter down and wheel-jam strike was observed from morning to afternoon. Similar situation was reported from Badin district. Complete strike was observed in Larkana where JSQM activists clashed with police. They burnt tyres and took out rallies. In Mirpur Khas, complete strike was observed in Kunri and surrounding areas. Shops and other businesses remained closed while traffic remained absent from roads in Kunri, Nabi Sar, Batan, Talhi, Samaro, Umerkot and other small and big cities. A protest demo was held at American Chowk by workers of JSQM Kunri. They also took out rally and demanded of the government to expose killers of Bashir Qureshi and bring them to the book. They further demanded sending of contents of Qureshi’s body abroad for laboratory test. Complete strike was observed in all the towns of Thatta district. All the business activities remained suspended and the transport off the roads in Thatta, Sujawal, Jati, Mirpur Bathoro, Choohar Jamali, Gharo, Gujo, Makli and other towns of district. The petrol pumps were also closed. The JSQM activists blocked many roads by deflating the air from the tyres of vehicles and torching the old tyres. At Chhato Chand-Thatta-Sujawal bypass, the law enforcing agencies personnel resorted to aerial firing to open the highway. In Thatta town, the unidentified persons fired shots and hurled crackers at different places. JSQM district president Sarwar Khushk said over a dozen of their workers have been arrested. In Jati, the coastal town of Thatta district, complete shutter down and wheel-jam was observed while the JSQM workers took out rally and burnt tyres. In Nawabshah district, a truck and another vehicle were set on fire by unidentified miscreants late Tuesday night. All the main business centers, shops, petrol pumps, government and private educational institutions remained closed. All kinds of transport including inter-city public transport remained off the roads. Sakrand, Qazi Ahmed, Daulatpur, Shahpur Jahanian, Daur, Bandhi, Jam Sahib and other towns were also shut. Two vehicles were burnt at national highway near Sakrand. Hundreds of JSQM workers staged sit-in at national highway and burnt tyres blocking it for traffic. A big rally was also taken out from Old Naka Sakrand and march through roads. At Daur town some persons tried to torch a bus coming from Rahim Yar Khan but was saved. JSQM claimed that its 15 workers have been arrested by police. Cracker blasts were heard in many areas of Khairpur district along with aerial firing incidents. ? Incidents of firing were also reported in Safora Goath in Karachi, leading to closure of business in the area. Also, some unidentified persons pelted traffic with stones at Maripur Road and blocked the same for traffic. Complete strike was observed in Sachal Goth, Shanti Nagar, Malir villages, Korangi villages and other areas. Some persons forcefully shut down an examination center in Karachi’s Malir area where matric paper could not be conducted. Separately, a mini bus was set on fire in Gulistan-e-Jauhar early Wednesday morning. Police claimed rounding up at least four activists of JSQM on charges of firing, riots and arson. The provincial government has put police force on high alert all over Sindh.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 06:35:10 +0000