KARACHI: Over two dozen vehicles were damaged in the last three days in Karachi after protests erupted in the port city following former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest.
In the aftermath of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman’s arrest on May 9, infuriated party activists took to the streets in several cities across the country, vehemently protesting their leader’s arrest.
Karachi was one of the cities where supporters of PTI unleashed havoc. According to the details provided by the police, the violent protesters broke the windows of several vehicles on May 9 — the day on which the PTI chief was taken into custody in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The Rangers’ post in the city’s Nursery was set on fire while two public buses and two water tankers were also burned.
A prisoners’ van was also put on fire while more than two dozen motorcycles were burnt in the city.
On May 10, the protesters set fire to a police mobile on University Road, during which 10 policemen, including the superintendent of police (SP) and deputy superintendent of police, were injured at Sharea Faisal.
The police said that more than 10 cases have been filed against 400 people under the provisions of arson, rioting, and interference in state matters including PTI leader Aftab Siddiqui, Raja Azhar, and Khurram Sher Zaman. Moreover, about 250 people have been arrested including PTI’s Ali Zaidi.
Karachi DG Parks Junaid Ullah said that many trees have also been damaged due to protests on Shaara Faisal while more than 70 trees have been burned.
