Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. SCREEN GRAB
ISLAMABAD:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced on Thursday that he will take his street campaign to Karachi on January 9 to mobilize party supporters and convey the message of jailed party founder Imran Khan.
Days after wrapping up a packed three-day visit to Lahore aimed at launching the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) street movement, Afridi wrote on X: “Friday 9th January! Karachi, Sindh, are you ready?”
The KP chief minister said he would visit Karachi “with Imran Khan’s message” and would meet “all friends of the party”.
Afridi had earlier hinted that Karachi would be his next destination as part of efforts to galvanize PTI workers nationwide after the launch of the street movement.
His announcement comes in the wake of a turbulent visit to Lahore where he tried to address supporters at Liberty Chowk but was unable to do so after police blocked all access roads by staging pickets.
During the same visit, Afridi addressed PTI lawmakers at the Punjab Assembly, an appearance marred by arguments between members of his entourage and security officials. Several heated exchanges between PTI leaders and journalists were also witnessed.
He was prevented from entering the cantonment area to meet party leaders and was also prevented from visiting the food street, which had been shut down prior to his arrival. Afridi later went to Zaman Park amid heavy police deployment while reports also emerged of PTI supporters being detained during the trip.
On Monday, Afridi formally lodged a complaint with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, objecting to the treatment he received during the Lahore visit.
In his letter, the KP chief minister said the Punjab government’s adoption of an extraordinary and excessive security posture, including widespread detentions and visible enforcement theater, was “a message of intimidation rather than cooperation”.
