KARACHI: A shutter-down strike was observed in many cities and towns of Sindh on the call of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Muhaz (JSQM) against the arrest and alleged disappearance of its Chairman Sannan Khan Qureshi.
In Karachi, shops, markets, and other business activities were shut in Gulshan-e-Hadid and several Malir areas. The business community closed the shops in response to the JSQM’s shutter-down strike call.
In Hyderabad, strike was observed in Sindhis dominated areas, including Qasimabad. The markets and shops were closed. The traffic remained thin in these areas. The strike was also observed in Jamshoro town of Sindh.
Separately, the shutter-down strike was also observed in Sakrand, Nawabshah, Qazi Ahmed, Larkana, Ratodero, Saeedabad, Bhittshah, Moro, Thatta and other cities of Sindh. The activists of JSQM took out rallies in various cities demanding release of Sanan.
However, JSQM Senior Vice Chairman Amjad Khan Mahesar approached Sindh High Court (SHC) to file a petition against alleged disappearance of JSQM Chairman from his house in Gulshan-e-Hadid.
It may be noted that FIRs were lodged against nationalists, including, Ayaz Latfi Paleejo, Dr Qadir Magsi, Sayed Jalal Mehmood Shah, Sayed Zain Shah, Riaz Chandio, Gul Hassan Kalmati and Sajjad Hussain Chandio after violence took place during a protest sit-in against Bahria Town in Karachi on Sunday, 06 June.
The sit-in was held under the banner of the Sindh Action Committee (SAC), an alliance of nationalist and political parties against the alleged illegal occupation of villagers’ lands in Malir by Bahria Town Karachi. The protesters dispersed after shops, markets, and entrance gate of Bahria Town were set ablaze by angry men and protesters were teargassed and baton charged. SAC leadership rejected the allegations of setting ablaze the shops and markets of Bahria and they termed it a conspiracy to stop their struggle against the mega project.