Karachi Press Club | Pakistan

KARACHI: Eight leaders and workers from different left-wing political parties were detained outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC), reportedly to prevent them from attending a multi-party conference called by the Popular Left Alliance (PLA), according to organisers. However, police denied the claim. Imdad Qazi, the secretary general of the Communist Party of Pakistan and the convenor of the PLA, told Dawn that the 10-party alliance had called the moot to debate democracy and authoritarianism in Pakistan. However, police contingents were already deployed in the area, he said. “Five veteran political workers, namely Husain Fatimi, Dr Hasan Nasir, Ramzam Memon, Shaheena, Mohammed Farooq and three other activists were apprehended by the police outside the KPC, to prevent them from attending the conference,” Qazi alleged. Meanwhile, South Senior Superintendent of Police Mahzoor Ali denied the claim that arrests were made outside the KPC. In a statement, the PLA said, “Complete authoritarian rule has been imposed in ...

KARACHI: Roads leading to the Karachi Press Club (KPC) were blocked for hours on Monday as lawyers, human rights activists and civil society members staged a protest against the conviction of Imaan Zainab Hazir-Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chatta. The closure of roads slowed down the movement of traffic on several arteries affected by the move, causing inconvenience for commuters. Police barred several protesters, including activist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior, from reaching the press club — a move that KPC President and journalist Fazil Jamili called a violation of the fundamental right to peaceful assembly. “The siege of the Karachi Press Club today is a blatant assault on democratic freedoms. By cordoning off the KPC and barring citizens, including Zulfiqar Bhutto Jr., from protesting the sentencing of Imaan Mazari, authorities are violating the fundamental right to peaceful assembly,” he posted on social media platform X. Lawyer and human rights activist Jibran Nasir posted on social media platform X t...

Police on Thursday blocked routes leading to the Karachi Press Club ahead of a press conference by Aurat March over the alleged “abduction” of two Baloch girls and briefly detained an activist, with organisers claiming that other members were also manhandled. Aurat March, a women’s rights group, was set to hold a press conference at 3pm over the alleged “abduction” of two Baloch girls — 15-year-old Nasreen Baloch and 24-year-old Mahjabeen Baloch. Authorities closed off roads leading to KPC ahead of the press conference, which eventually began with a delay of approximately 20 minutes as the organisers said they were “stopped by the police” at the gate of the press club. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) member Qazi Khizar said an activist named Sara was taken by the police from outside the KPC. Within a few hours, Aurat March confirmed to Dawn that she had been released. Dawn has reached out to the police for a comment on the detention. Senior journalist Dodal Chandio said in a post on Facebook that “...

The Karachi police on Friday detained about half a dozen people to prevent them from moving towards the venue of a scheduled protest by the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), held as part of countrywide demonstrations against the recently passed 27th Constitutional Amendment. All roads leading to the Karachi Press Club (KPC) were closed by the police after buses and other heavy vehicles were parked to block access. Contingents of female police personnel were also deployed. Some protesters were detained as they attempted to reach KPC. PTI Sindh spokesperson Mohammed Ali Bozdar told Dawn that “more than two dozen protesters” were detained near the KPC. Also detained was civil society activist Alifya Sohail, not part of the TTAP protest, who was initially taken to the Artillery Maidan Police Station, where her phone was taken from her and she was not permitted to contact anyone. She was subsequently moved to the Women Police Station situated on Sharae Faisal. No case was registered agai...