Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that necessary action will be taken against those responsible for the violence against the protesters in Karachi on Tuesday as Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) workers resumed their protest against the Sindh Local Government Bill on Thursday.
In a tweet on Thursday, the PM said that he has "taken note of the violence used by Sindh police against MQM-P's peaceful protest against Sindh's Local Government law".
He also sought a report from Interior Ministry, Sindh Chief Secretary and Sindh Inspector General.
Meanwhile, Sindh government has also followed suit with Karachi administrator Murtaza Wahab tweeting that the chief minister had sought a report in three days.
Wendesday's protest
According to MQM-P, their North Karachi worker Aslam died after getting injured in a clash with police after authorities resorted to baton-charge and shelling as protesters tried to go towards the Sindh Chief Minister House.
MQM-P said that police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton-charge against the protestors including women and members of the Sindh and National Assembly.
Mainstream media as well as social platforms were flooded with visuals of police clashing with MQM-P workers, with authorities resorting to excessive force.
Initially, it was reported that people, including MQM-P MPA Sadaqat Husain and a policeman, were brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment.
MQM-P leader Faisal Subzwari later tweeted that the MQM worker had succumbed to his injuries.
The claim was initially contested by Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab, that there was no record of Aslam's death at the mentioned hospital.
Subzwari clarified that the worker had been taken to National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and not JPMC as initially suggested.
'Death not due to police violence'
However, in another development, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani, in a press conference earlier today, said that it appeared the party worker died because of heart-related complications and not due to police violence.
He said that this assessment was based on available information. He also pointed out that the deceased MQM-P worker had initially been taken to Karachi Institute of Heart Disease, after which he was brought to NICVD, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Contentious bill
Under the new bill, district councils and municipal corporations (DMCs) will be abolished in Karachi and a town system would be restored in each division of the province. Karachi will be divided into more than 25 towns under the new LG system.
