KARACHI: Police on Friday arrested Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman as he left the party headquarters to lead a protest against K-Electric.
The police blocked roads leading to the Idara-Noor-e-Haq, the Karachi headquarters of the party, by parking water tankers and arrested at least three workers, according to a spokesman for the Jamaat-e-Islami.
The spokesman said the police surrounded the JI headquarters moments before Naeemur Rehman was about to leave for Shahrah-e-Faisal to hold the protest.
A large number of people took to MA Jinnah Road and Shahra-e-Faisal to protest against the police crackdown, causing a massive gridlock on the two main arteries of the city.
The police used tear gas canisters and resorted to aerial firing to disperse the protesters while TV footage showed JI workers pelting the law enforcers wit stones.
Condemning the arrest of Hafiz Naeeemur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq warned of countrywide protest if the workers were not released immediately.
“Instead of launching crackdown on protesters, provincial and local government should rid the people of load shedding.