In Karachi, tensions escalated on the National Highway Link Road as protesting lawyers vandalised a police vehicle during demonstrations against the controversial construction of canals on Thursday.

According to details, lawyers and police officers clashed near Gulshan-e-Hadid Link Road, where lawyers were staging a sit-in protest against the ongoing canal projects. The situation turned violent when police resorted to baton charges to disperse the demonstrators.

Amid the confrontation, a lawyer was injured due to police action, prompting a large group of lawyers to march towards the Steel Town Police Station in protest.

Police officials stated that the baton charge was initiated after a lawyer allegedly struck a police officer with a stick.

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Following the dispersal, a large number of protesters reassembled at the site. Sources reported that fresh clashes erupted between the police, lawyers, and nationalist activists. Protesters hurled stones at police personnel and smashed the windows of a police mobile vehicle during the renewed violence.

In response, police carried out another round of baton charges and arrested more than five individuals at the scene.