Pakistan: Karachi turns violent over protest against 'mega housing project'

During the demonstrations, two international fast food franchises, several vehicles, a showroom and two offices of estate agents were set on fire in Bahria Town Karachi (BTK).

Police resorted to teargas shelling and fired rubber bullets to control the situation that turned ugly after thousands of people arrived at the housing project from different parts of the province to stage a peaceful protest against ‘land grabbing’, ‘forced eviction of locals’ and ‘demolition of villages’ in the name of development, reports Dawn News.

The protesters, however, refused to accept any blame for the trouble, alleging that the BTK staff themselves got hold of some nationalist party flags and set fire to the main gate, the Business Trade Centre, the car showroom, vehicles, motorcycles, and other property on their own to give another colour to their peaceful protest the Pakistani newspaper reported.

A senior police officer requesting anonymity told Dawn that around 8,000-10,000 protesters arrived and removed temporary barriers before more than 100 of them entered BTK.

The police said as per their strategy policemen were unarmed to prevent ‘collateral damage’.

Therefore, no casualty took place while the police managed to detain around 80-90 persons and FIRs would be registered against them, said the officer.