By Ahsan Mughal
KARACHI: On Sunday, police briefly detained Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) MPA Muhammad Farooq along with several party workers during a press conference outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Karachi.
The gathering, organized by JI supporters, was a protest against alleged rigging in the 2024 general elections, when police moved in to disperse the crowd. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) South, Mahzoor Ali, clarified that no arrests had been made. “No JI workers were arrested or taken to the police station,” he said.
Earlier, MPA Farooq had told reporters that the ECP office “is not the house of a king” and insisted on holding a press conference outside its premises. He warned that the party would stage a protest if prevented from doing so. Following their release, JI Karachi acting emir Muslim Pervaiz addressed a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, criticizing the Pakistan People’s Party-led Sindh government.
JI Karachi accused the provincial administration of violating the constitution under what he described as the “form 47 regime.” He stressed that the constitution guarantees citizens the right to express their opinions peacefully and democratically and claimed that the police action amounted to an infringement on this right.
Speaking after his release, MPA Farooq accused the Sindh government of using “fascist tactics” to arrest 19 party workers and officials, alleging that the detentions were intended to prevent the planned sit-in. The incident highlighted the escalating tensions between JI and the provincial administration ahead of the planned demonstration.
