Hyderabad (Pakistan) August 22 : Business centers and shops were closed in the majority of Pakistan’s Hyderabad on Monday, following protests due to an incident of an alleged destruction of the Holy Quran, media reports claimed.Law enforcement agencies have resorted to firing tear gas at the target and firing in the air in various areas of Hyderabad on Sunday when angry crowds pushed into a commercial plaza by breaking windows to gain access of the man who they accuse of desecrating the Holy Quran, Dawn reported.
Many Hindu and Muslim families who reside in the area of business moved to a different location after the violence on Sunday.The power was not restored on Monday.
“We are in power outage since the weekend,” said Mohammad Iqbal who is a resident of the plaza.He said that the gas supply is also shut off.
Hyderabad SSP Amjad Sheikh claimed that the mob of angry people wanted to burn down the apartments that belong to the Hindu community over their supposed involvement in the incident, Dawn reported.
He claimed that the police had already filed an FIR regarding the incident, however protesters were still intent to get into the plaza.
The official stated that the situation was quelled by using teargas to disperse the crowd.
“We had to choose charging the crowd with batons.
They also attempted to attack a number of temples, however, the police stopped the plots.We had anticipated that similar attacks would occur, so deployment was planned preemptively,” he said.
According to Hyderabad DC Fuad Ghaffar Soomro, a mob attempted to attack the Bahwani Temple in Mochi Gali, Gurpat temple in Seroghat area, as well as the Hindu Sochi community hall Mochi Mohallah Seroghat on Sunday night however, the police stopped the plot, Dawn reported.
On Sunday the 23rd of September, a case was filed under Sections 295B (defiling of Holy Quran) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Bilal Son of Bundo Khan Abbasi.
The complainant said he was aware that someone had burned pages of Holy Quran in Rabi Plaza.Bilal stated that Maulana Amin Zikriya had shown the burned pages to him near an elevator.
He asked an employee of the sanitary department if he could identify the identity of the person who did this however, he did not respond.
According to Bilal, he got hold of the sanitation worker and was able to take control of some of the burned pages.
He then handed over the man together with the pages that were burned, to police.
A policeman was attacked by a mob, while the police vehicle was destroyed by mob.A sanitation worker was detained by police.
The riots continued until the dawn hours of Monday morning, as police fired teargas on the mob of unruly protesters who tried to gain access to the business center, Dawn reported.
Police from smaller districts were brought into Hyderabad to assist Hyderabad police efforts in keeping law and order.
Rangers personnel are still stationed in the area of six floors Rabi Plaza until Monday.
an armored personnel vehicle has been dispatched to the area.
The Rangers’ personnel blocked streets that connect different roadways and thoroughfares with the mobile market that the plaza is situated in.The police also set up barbed wire in an attempt to block roads and Rangers refused to allow anyone to enter the zone, Dawn reported.
The Hyderabad District Bar Association (HDBA) observed the day of mourning in response to the unrest that occurred on Sunday.
A wine shop located on Risala Road situated away from the plaza was robbed.Labourers and trash pickers were seen collecting bits of glass scattered over the floor.
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