Karachi police briefly detain more than 10 JI local representatives
Jamaat-e-Islami's Karachi chief says union committee chairmen and councillors were summoned to police stations and held without reason; police have not commented.
Karachi police detained more than 10 elected local government representatives of Jamaat-e-Islami at police stations across the city and released them a few hours later, the party's Karachi chapter said, describing the action as an undeclared crackdown.
JI Karachi chief Munim Zafar Khan said union committee (UC) chairmen and councillors from various parts of the city were summoned to police stations and held without being given any reason, ARY News reported. He said reports had also emerged of raids at several locations.
The party identified those held as Khursheed Iqbal, chairman of UC-7 in Zaman Town; Adil Muhammad, vice-chairman of UC-6 in Gulshan-e-Iqbal; Athar Imam, a councillor from UC-1 in Chaneser Town; Javed, a councillor from UC-1 in Gulshan; Sajid Jilani, a ward councillor from UC-1 in Jinnah Town; and Allah Gul, who was held at the Site Super Highway police station. Other local representatives were also reportedly detained.
Munim Zafar said police went to Iqbal's residence, asked him to accompany them to Zaman Town police station and then stopped him from leaving. Councillors Athar Imam and Mujahid were summoned to Tipu Sultan police station and detained, he said, while Sajid Jilani and a ward councillor from Soldier Bazaar were also reportedly held. Allah Gul was detained at the Site Super Highway police station in District East.
The JI leader condemned the detentions and alleged they were carried out at the behest of those who came to power through what he called "Form 47", a reference to the result forms at the centre of opposition rigging allegations after the 2024 general election. He claimed the move was aimed at obstructing development work being carried out by JI's elected representatives and said the detentions would not stop them from working for the city. He demanded their immediate release.
No police comment on the detentions, or on how many people were held, has been reported. The account of the numbers, the names and the circumstances came from Jamaat-e-Islami, as carried by ARY News, and could not be independently confirmed.
Karachi's union committees are the third tier of local government, and their chairmen and councillors are directly elected. Jamaat-e-Islami, which sits in opposition at the centre, has a sizeable bloc of such representatives in the city.
Sindh High Court gives lawyers seven days to remove official symbols from cars
Vehicles still carrying green plates, blue lights, flashers or fake government number plates will be refused entry to the high court, the City Court and district courts.
Court grants bail to Iqrarul Hassan in cybercrime case
A Karachi court ordered his release on Rs200,000 surety bonds, three weeks after the NCCIA arrested him over posts on X, Instagram and Facebook.
World Bank approves $150m for Sindh property tax and municipal services
The Sindh Property Revenues Enhancement Program will back urban immovable property tax collection and the service delivery capacity of selected local councils, Karachi foremost.
Sindh forms committee to review local bodies and audit budgets
The panel, chaired by local government minister Nasir Hussain Shah, will examine illegal recruitment and budget irregularities from union councils up to district councils.