Workers clash with police; KP CM accuses Sindh government of creating hurdles; Tells supporters movement ‘unstoppable’
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi addresses a rally at Karachi’s Numaish Chowrangi. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Imran Khan’s PTI on Sunday finally managed to stage a rally in Karachi – the first outside Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) since May 9, 2023 – amid high drama, with KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi telling a crowd of supporters that the party’s street movement is now “unstoppable”.
Afridi had arrived in Karachi a few days ago to mobilize the PTI workers ahead of the opposition parties’ planned protest on February 8, the second anniversary of the 2024 general elections.
On his arrival, CM Afridi was welcomed by a provincial minister and the PPP’s Sindh government had a day earlier also given permission to the PTI to hold a rally in Karachi’s Bagh-e-Jinnah, adjacent to the mausoleum of the Nation’s Founder.
However, this apparent bonhomie between PTI and PPP was short-lived.
According to the PTI Sindh spokesperson, when PTI workers started preparing for the demonstration at the designated venue on Saturday evening, the Sindh Police conducted a crackdown, detained workers and cleared the ground.
On Sunday morning, police erected barriers and blocked all routes leading to Bagh-e-Jinnah. When the workers reached the area in the form of demonstrations, the police started making arrests.
Clashes also occurred between party workers and the police, with two policemen, including a woman, sustaining minor injuries. Unknown persons also damaged the DSNG vehicle.
During the clashes, workers threw stones at the police, who responded with a baton charge to disperse them and detained several people. A PTI Sindh spokesperson claimed that more than 35 workers were taken into custody.
Later, a large number of people entered the scene, after which the police withdrew.
The rally was scheduled to start at 16:00 on Sunday. However, the party’s central and provincial leadership went to Gadap Town to receive CM Sohail Afridi.
According to some reports, Afridi left for the venue at 15:00 with a convoy, but later changed its schedule. Instead of going directly to the venue, he made a six-hour tour of various areas before finally arriving at the venue of the convention.
But the PTI spokesperson claimed that when the CM’s convoy set out from Gadap Town to the venue, the police tried to stop it by placing containers and barriers in different parts of the town.
He said heavy obstacles were erected on routes leading to Mazar-e-Quaid and the convoy had to constantly change its route, resulting in the delay.
Meanwhile, due to the absence of lighting, toilets and other basic facilities in Bagh-e-Jinnah, workers left the place after Maghrib prayers and moved to Numaish Chowrangi where PTI eventually held its public gathering.
Addressing a rally late on Sunday evening, CM Sohail Afridi said the government had treated PTI unfairly in Punjab and the Sindh government had also not shown fair conduct.
He accused the Sindh government of creating obstacles but said the public removed all barriers and made the rally successful, adding that the fascism witnessed in Sindh would always be remembered.
He, however, thanked the people of Sindh and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of Karachi, saying that the public turnout proved that the nation stood firm with Imran Khan.
“Those who thought Imran Khan’s politics were finished should come and see for themselves,” he said, adding that their movement could not be stopped
He said when Imran Khan gives the call the public is ready to come out and the people of Karachi had proved that a rally could be held even without facilities.
Afridi claimed that a crowd of hundreds of thousands had proved that PTI was Karachi’s representative party. He criticized those who claimed to be champions of democracy, saying they had failed to uphold democratic values.
He further claimed that the PPP had jointly changed the constitutional framework and claimed that a PPP dictatorship was in place in Sindh. He said the public was ready to march to D-Chowk and was only waiting for Imran Khan’s call.
“We have to stay prepared and keep that fighting spirit,” he said. “We will not allow anyone to deprive us of our rights, nor will we allow anyone to imprison the nation’s leader without justification. Whenever Imran Khan gives the order, we will act accordingly.”
Earlier, Senior Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that the Sindh government warmly welcomes CM Afridi, but despite assurances, PTI did not fulfill its commitment.
He said that it was clearly indicated on the very first day that permission was given to hold a public gathering, despite that, it is inappropriate to make allegations against the Sindh government.
“Nobody prevented PTI from holding rally at the designated ground. The manner in which rallies and processions are taken out on the roads is causing serious traffic disruption and hardship to common citizens.
“Karachi is a big city where even the gathering of a few hundred people can lead to traffic problems. We want the KP CM to end his visit smoothly and amicably,” he added.
