KARACHI: Several individuals were detained on Sunday after a Sindhi Culture Day rally on Sharea Faisal turned violent, according to Karachi police.
Authorities said that demonstrators pelted police vehicles with stones, smashing the windows of patrol vans and damaging a water tanker. The confrontation began when police directed participants to divert the rally from Kala Pul towards Saddar, a request the crowd resisted, leading to stone-pelting and property damage.
Police responded with shelling to disperse the protesters and arrested two individuals for attacking official vehicles.
Traffic officials reported that Sharea Faisal remained closed at the FTC intersection, with vehicles being redirected from Kala Pul toward Saddar to manage congestion caused by the unrest.
Sindhi Culture Day is being celebrated today with traditional fervour, showcasing the centuries-old heritage of the province. The event is observed annually on the first Sunday of December.
Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari said Sindh’s culture embodies tolerance, peace, and national unity, stressing that it is a collective responsibility to pass these values to future generations. He recalled Sindh’s historic distinction of achieving a unique constitutional and cultural identity after its separation from the Bombay Presidency in 1936 and noted that the Sindh Assembly was the first to pass the resolution calling for the creation of Pakistan.
