'Civil war'-like situation brewing in Pakistan; indications of Pak Army-Sindh Police clash

A 'civil war'-like situation is said to be brewing in Pakistan amid reports of clashes between Karachi Police and Pakistan Army. News ncy ANI quoted a Pakistan based media report saying that heavy fire was exchanged between Sindh Police in Karachi and Pakistan Army, after latter tried to take custody of a Superintendent of Police, Md. Aftab Anwar.

Pakistan mainstream media trying to hide news

Casualties have been reported on both sides in ensuing firing, Pakistan reports said. Several Twitter handles, including a few from India, have also reported about clashes, alleging that Islamab's mainstream media has tried its best to hide news from public. development comes after Opposition in Pakistan came toger to protest against 'puppet' Prime Minister Imran Khan and demanded his resignation.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Sindh Police chief on Tuesday deferred his leave and asked his officers to set aside ir leave applications for ten days "in larger national interest" after Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa ordered an inquiry into circumstances surrounding arrest of former PM Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law, an issue that brought paramilitary forces and police in direct conflict in country's largest city.

In a series of tweets, Sindh Police said on Tuesday that "unfortunate incident" that occurred on night of 18/19 October caused "great heartache and resentment" within its ranks, referring to circumstances surrounding arrest of Sharif's son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhamm Safdar.

Army chief Bajwa orders probe

Sindh Police thanked Gen Bajwa for "realising sense of hurt that prevailed within a uniformed force, and for promptly ordering an inquiry into matter".  Sindh Police also thanked Pakistan People's Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Mur Ali Shah for showing solidarity with police leership. PPP is ruling party in Sindh province.

Opposition parties have alleged that Sindh police chief was reportedly forcibly taken away by paramilitary Frontier Corps from his home in Karachi in wee hours of Monday and pressurised to order for arrest of Safdar.

On Tuesday, Sindh IGP, at least two ditional inspectors general, seven deputy inspectors general and six senior superintendents of police decided to go on long leave in protest over siege of Inspector General House that brought law enforcement ncy and security establishment in direct conflict, Dawn reported.

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Safdar was arrested on Monday from his hotel room in Karachi for raising slogans at mausoleum of Pakistan's founder M A Jinnah just before second rally of Pakistan Democratic Movement's - an alliance of 11 Opposition parties. He was released on bail on same day and flew back to Lahore, but PPP which rules province while distancing itself from incident wondered who h ordered arrest of Safdar.

Bilawal in a press conference said that all top officers of Sindh Police were wondering "who were people who surrounded" Sindh police chief's house on Monday and took him to an unspecified location before Safdar was arrested.  Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government appears to be panicked as it has been registering a number of cases against PML-N workers since PDM launched its movement to oust Imran Khan government.

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(With ncy inputs)