Sindh Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Haleem Adil Sheikh has expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of Sindh for what he described as a “glorious and historic” reception accorded to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi during his four-day visit to the province.
Sheikh alleged that although the Pakistan Peoples Party initially adopted a positive attitude, it made a U-turn after witnessing the massive public response and deliberately created obstacles out of panic.
In a video message on Tuesday, he said the massive welcome given to Afridi, whom he called a representative of Imran Khan, once again proved that the people of Sindh continue to stand firmly with the former prime minister.
Sheikh said the people of Karachi, Hyderabad and Jamshoro responded enthusiastically to Imran Khan’s call and demonstrated their unwavering loyalty to the PTI founder. He described Afridi as a “brave tiger” of Imran Khan, adding that his visit had injected fresh energy into the party’s movement.
He said that during the five-hour-long public reception from Karachi airport to the press club, roads, intersections and major arteries of the city were packed with supporters.
Sheikh said that people came out of their homes in all districts of Karachi to welcome the KP chief minister, while public receptions along the Super Highway, Kotri, Jamshoro and Hyderabad witnessed unprecedented enthusiasm.
The PTI Sindh chief said that the huge crowd gathered at Bagh-e-Jinnah despite the absence of a stage, containers or a formal public rally was clear proof that the PTI was not a one-man show but a party backed by a strong popular and organisational network.
He claimed that Afridi was made to wander in Hyderabad for seven hours and that “drama” continued throughout the day in the name of granting permission for a public meeting, with the NOC not issued until 5pm.
He said it was not possible to organise a rally within a day with 26 containers and thousands of chairs. He further alleged that late at night, under the pretext of a “fast-track” arrangement, police resorted to violence and vandalism at around 12:30am.
He termed the situation in Sindh unique, claiming that while ministers kept granting permission and the deputy commissioner was ready to issue an NOC, the local police officer refused to comply.
Sheikh said the entire area was sealed to stop the KP chief minister from travelling to Karachi, but despite all hurdles, the people came out in large numbers and public power proved stronger than heavy police deployment.
He said that by the grace of Allah, the visit had given new momentum to the PTI movement and vowed that this momentum would not be allowed to fade. He added that PTI had remained organised and active across Sindh even after the events of May 9.
The PTI leader thanked guests from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan, including members of the KP cabinet, MNAs and MPAs, for participating in the visit. He apologised on behalf of Sindh if there were any shortcomings in hospitality, saying Sindh was a symbol of love and hospitality and Karachi was a city that spread affection.
Commenting on Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon’s press conference, PTI Karachi President Raja Azhar termed the press conference “a presentation of lies”. He said that the Sindh government gave an NOC for the rally with one hand and used batons on peaceful workers with the other. He asked at whose behest the police evacuated Bagh-e-Jinnah at 2am and tortured families.
He alleged that police vandalized the workers’ vehicles and arrested workers and Sindh government’s permission for the rally was as if they were inviting and putting guards at the door.He said that Sindhi cap and Ajrak are cultural identities, but the PPP also made it a victim of political stubbornness.
Meanwhile, the PTI’s Karachi general secretary strongly reacted to the recent political statements of MQM-Pakistan Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui regarding Karachi’s rights, stating that the MQM itself is a product of the Form 47 system and therefore lacks any moral authority to speak on Karachi’s mandate.
Arsalan Khalid said that Siddiqui must first free himself from the system of political slavery that keeps him in power before claiming to represent Karachi. He added that Karachi clearly rejected the MQM in the February 8, 2024 elections, proving that the city still stands firmly with PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
He further stated that on January 11, 2026, Karachi gave a historic welcome to Imran Khan’s representative, once again demonstrating that the city stands with truth, justice, and the real public mandate. Arsalan Khalid accused the MQM of selling Karachi’s vote in 2022 and playing a role in the regime change conspiracy, thereby betraying the Mohajir community once again.
Arsalan Khalid emphasized that Imran Khan is the only leader who openly says “absolutely not” to slavery, while the PTI completely rejects the fake mandate, Form 47, and the entire system of imposed rule. He stated that Karachi is not a city of slaves but a city of resistance, and the people will never accept a fake mandate.
