Karachi (Staff Report): Several injured late Monday in a violent clash erupted between workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) at Gulshan Iqbal area over a venue dispute for May 12 rallies announced by both the parties in Karachi.
According to details, members of both rival political fronts resorted to violence, threw stones at each other, tore banners and put the opponent’s assets on fire. They engaged in aerial firing and pelting stones at one another leaving several injured.
The incident was first reported when a number of PPP workers set ablaze a camp of the PTI workers.
Traffic on the University Road was affected following the clash.
The two parties have been at loggerheads after either of them announced holding a public gathering at Hakeem Saeed Ground in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area.
PTI leader Naeemul Haq said the PPP had on purpose requested the deputy commissioner for the same venue.
Naeemul Haq said. “If PPP will create tension now, the same is likely in the upcoming elections.”
On the other hand, PPP leader Shehla Raza claimed that PTI is acting like MQM. We will not let them do such violence because her party had submitted a request for the venue on May 3.
She said, “We adopted a legal way to obtain the Hakeem Saeed Ground for our rally, if PTI wanted the ground, it should have submitted its request to the authorities in advance.”
Meanwhile, PTI member Ali Zaidi had intervened to prevent a clash between supporters of the two parties.
PTI Karachi chapter leader Firdous Naqvi said, “We were the first to announce a rally on May 12 and the PTI reserves the right to hold a public gathering at Hakeem Saeed Ground.”
PPP’s Saeed Ghani claimed they were the ones to take permission for holding the rally. PTI’s attitude is based on ignorance and bullying.
