By Shaheen Hashim
KARACHI: Tensions over civic protests in Karachi spilled into the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday, as lawmakers debated the treatment of activists and the city’s chronic service deficiencies.
The issue was raised by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) legislator Muhammad Farooq, who claimed residents had taken to the streets to demand basic utilities such as water and electricity but were met with state repression despite their peaceful intentions. Speaking in the house, Farooq called for the release of detained activists and offered himself for arrest in a gesture of solidarity.
Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon countered the accusations, defending the authorities’ response and criticizing JI for prioritizing disruption over public welfare. He argued that allowing unrestricted road blockages in the metropolis would impede daily life and economic activity, pointing out that protests staged at ten separate locations had yielded little tangible benefit for Karachi’s residents.
The assembly debate followed an incident on 14 February, when JI activists attempted to approach the provincial legislature. Police reportedly responded with tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, confiscated a truck-mounted sound system, and detained ten party members. The standoff ended after JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar instructed participants to disperse, averting further confrontation.
Lawmakers on both sides framed the issue as not merely a question of protest rights but as a reflection of the ongoing contest over political authority, governance priorities, and the delivery of public services in Pakistan’s largest city.
#KarachiProtests #SindhAssembly #JamaatEIslami #MuhammadFarooq #SharjeelInamMemon #CivicActivism #PublicServices #WaterAndElectricity #PeacefulProtests #StateResponse #ActivistDetentions #PoliticalDebate #UrbanGovernance #RoadBlockages #CityServiceDeficiencies #KarachiNews #PoliticalAuthority #PublicWelfare #LawAndOrder #ProtestRights #GovernanceChallenges #PakistanPolitics #KarachiIssues #CivilDiscontent #AssemblyDebate
