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January 03, 2025
Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Announces End of Sit-ins Nationwide
Islamabad: Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas has announced the end of nationwide sit-ins and protests following a peace agreement between the warring factions in Kurram district.
MWM’s protests, which were held in key locations such as Shahrah-e-Faisal and Shahrah-e-Pakistan in Karachi, were staged in response to the closure of the main highway in Parachinar.
The demonstrations disrupted traffic, causing significant challenges for daily commuters in the city.
But following the peace agreement signed by the rival tribes to surrender weapons and demolish bunkers, MWM ended its sit-ins in cities like Karachi and Islamabad.
At a press conference in Islamabad, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas stated that for months, roads in Kurram had been blocked, causing severe hardships for the local population. He claimed that essential medicines were unavailable, and people were dying as a result of the blockade.
"While the situation in Kurram resembled that of Gaza, we made the decision to raise our voices for these oppressed people. Despite the lack of attention from the government, we started protests across the country, from Karachi to Gilgit-Baltistan," he said.
Abbas condemned the violent actions of the government during the protests while strongly criticizing the role of the provincial leadership, particularly Sindh's Chief Minister and Interior Minister.
He also called for accountability, stating that if PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto did not initiate an investigation into the violence, legal action would be taken.
He declared that protests would end immediately and a convoy of 70 to 80 vehicles carrying aid was all set to depart on Saturday.
The MWM leader added that people in Kurram would remain in a state of protest until the first convoy arrived.
"We will continue to stand with the people of Kurram and ensure that no bloodshed goes in vain," he concluded. - The Express Tribune
According to a Dawn report titled ‘MWM wraps up Karachi sit-ins after Parachinar peace deal signed,’
while the Sindh government registered terrorism cases against leaders and workers of the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) for Tuesday’s violence, the religio-political party on Wednesday night ended its sit-ins across the city.
Throughout the day on Wednesday, one track of the M.A. Jinnah Road near Numaish, Abul Hasan Ispahani Road near Abbas Town, University Road near Metro and Sharah-i-Pakistan near Ancholi remained blocked by protesters, but the second track of these roads was open for vehicular traffic. However, the road leading to Kamran Chowrangi in Gulistan-i-Jauhar remained completely closed to traffic.
Late Wednesday night, the MWM leadership told a press conference that it had wrapped up its protest sit-ins after a grand jirga in Kohat signed a peace deal.
Also on Wednesday, Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar told a press conference that a total of 19 protesters were arrested and three separate cases were registered at the Soldier Bazaar, Sachal, and Saudabad police stations over Tuesday’s violence at Numaish, Abbas Town and Malir-15 areas. He said hundreds of persons, including “known personalities”, were booked over “attempted murder and terror charges”.
While the home minister did not name any individual, senior MWM leaders — Allama Hasan Zafar Naqvi, Allama Sadiq Jaferi, Allama Ali Mubashir Zaidi, Allama Mukhtar Imami, and Maulana Asghar Shaheedi — were booked in a case registered at the Soldier Bazaar police station on behalf of the state.
The FIR, a copy of which was available with Dawn, was lodged under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offense committed in prosecution of common object), 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Sections 6 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The 19 held protesters, including Maulana Shaheedi, were produced before an antiterrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday, which sent them to prison on judicial remand.
Wounded man dies
One of the four persons injured during violence in Malir on Tuesday night died at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) during treatment, officials said.
Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed told Dawn that four gunshot victims were brought to the hospital from Malir. Three of them were identified as Ali Raza, 45, Qasim Zafar, 28, and Mohsin Anwar, 25, while the fourth, aged around 35, remained unidentified.
She said that the unidentified victim suffered bullet wounds in the abdomen and died at the surgical intensive care unit of the JPMC at around 4 am.
Later, the victim was identified as Syed Shabih Hyder.
While the MWM identified him as a “participant of the Malir-15 sit-in”, a police source told Dawn that the victim was shot while returning home from his workplace.
Quoting his brother, Syed Taqi’s written statement to the Saudabad police, the source said the victim had left his home on a motorcycle in the morning for his workplace, a private firm, at Port Qasim. The brother said he got a phone call that his brother died during treatment at JPMC as he had “suffered two bullet injuries in the abdomen fired from an unknown direction on National Highway”.
Mr Taqi told the police that he did not want any legal proceedings since his brother “died of an accidental fire’.
Lanjar justifies police action
Speaking at the press conference, the home minister justified Tuesday’s police action to clear roads of protesters.
Accompanied by Sindh police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon and other officials, he said people and different communities were complaining about road blockades, which had become “a critical issue for us”.
“We were compelled to take action after the writ of the government was challenged,” he said, adding: “If anyone commits an illegal act, blocks roads, and resorts to violence, we will take action.”
MWM warns of sit-in outside Bilawal House
Speaking at an earlier press conference at the Numaish sit-in on Wednesday, MWM leader Allama Hasan Zafar Naqvi condemned the Tuesday police action and demanded the immediate release of all held workers.
He said that the MWM had observed a black day in protest over the police action against peaceful protesters.
He warned of a sit-in outside Bilawal House if the arrested workers were not released. - Dawn
Courtesy Dawn
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