KARACHI: Police have arrested a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Haji Anwar Raza and others for attacking Karachi Development Authority (KDA) officials while the latter conducted an anti-encroachment drive operation in District Central.
According to police reports, two separate cases were registered against the assailants – one each for attacking KDA officials and media representatives.
The first information report (FIR) on KDA’s behalf was filed by the authority’s additional director while that from the private media outlet was filed by its bureau chief. The police booked the accused under sections 147, 148, 149, 427, 337A, 353 and 504/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
“There are clear directions from the Supreme Court to remove encroachments. The marriage hall was illegally constructed on a playground,” said a KDA official. “I, along with my team members, had gone to demolish the Haryali Marriage Hall on the court’s directions when we came under attack.”
In his statement, the complainant from the private news channel said his team members also came under attack while they were covering the demolition. He accused the MPA and his supporters of snatching cameras from his team and assaulting them.
The police claimed to have initiated an action against the suspects after registering the FIRs. Nearly half a dozen suspects have been arrested, including Abbas alias Mammu who was nominated in the FIR, the police officials said. Further investigations are underway.
