News @ 3 - 17th Feb 2017

SEHWAN: Police on Friday resorted to aerial firing and shelling to disperse angry protesters in Sehwan after the attack at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, ARY News reported.

The protesters staged a sit-in outside the office of the Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) while some attempted to enter it. They wielded sticks and chanted slogans against the police. Afterwards, a heavy police contingent was deployed to disperse them lead to aerial firing and shelling.

The enraged protests later attacked and set a police van on fire at the Jahaz Chowk, and also protested at a nearby hospital. The area remains tense as some mourners earlier attempted to enter the shrine of Qalandar which have been closed by the law-enforcement agencies.

Inspector-General Sindh A.D. Khawaja has issued a high-alert for all shrines across the province, after which all shrines and tombs in Karachi have also been closed.

The shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi located in an upscale locality of Karachi has also been closed for public. A contingent of the Pakistan Rangers has been deployed outside the shrine, while security has been enhanced to prevent any untoward incident.

At least 80 people were killed and 210 were injured after the terror attack on Thursday at the shrine of the revered Sufi saint in Sehwan, reminiscent of the attack at shrine of Shah Noorani in Khuzdar, Balochistan in November last year.