KARACHI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi hailed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters for making the Karachi rally "successful" despite alleged hurdles created by the Sindh government.
The PTI was scheduled to hold a power show at Bagh-e-Jinnah today after obtaining a non-objection certificate (NOC) from the Sindh government.
However, the former ruling party went ahead with a rally outside Mazar-e-Quaid citing a delay in receiving permission, accusing the provincial authorities of placing obstacles in its way.
CM Afridi said the Sindh government had also failed to treat PTI fairly, adding that despite hurdles, the public removed all barriers and made the Karachi rally successful.
He announced that the next phase of the movement would be launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that a nationwide street movement would be used to spread the PTI founder Imran Khan's message across the country.
Thanking the people of Karachi, he said public participation had proved the nation still stood with the PTI founder, warning those who believed his politics had ended to "come and see for themselves".
Afridi alleged that self-proclaimed champions of democracy had been exposed as undemocratic, accusing the Sindh government of disrespecting Sindhi cultural symbols such as the ajrak and Sindhi cap.
He further claimed that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had jointly altered the constitutional framework and that a form of dictatorship had been established in Sindh.
Afridi said the public was ready to head towards D-Chowk and was awaiting a call from the PTI founder.
The KP chief minister stressed that his party would not allow anyone to strip the people of their rights or keep the nation's leader imprisoned without justification.
The KP chief executive departed from Numaish Chowrangi after delivering a brief address, following which the PTI workers dispersed from the area.
Prior to the KP CM's arrival at the venue, the event was marred by clashes between the party workers and the police, leading to arrests of more than 30 PTI activists.
Police resorted to shelling to disperse PTI workers who had gathered in the area, while separate disturbances were also reported at the VIP gate of Mazar-e-Quaid, where scuffles broke out between the party activists and the law enforcers.
Police officials said that further action would be taken against those identified in the stone-pelting incidents.
At that time, the KP CM was on a visit to Hyderabad and scheduled to return to Karachi, where he had landed on January 9 to kickstart his three-day visit.
While CM Afridi's first two days in the province passed smoothly, he alleged earlier today that the provincial government blocked roads and created obstacles during his return journey from Hyderabad to Karachi.
"We were deliberately pushed onto deserted roads on our way back from Hyderabad to Karachi," CM Afridi said in a video statement, adding that he has reached the port city and that "a rally will [surely] be held".
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh were also part of the delegation, along with other party leaders.
Sindh Local Government Minister Nasser Shah said that the provincial authorities had extended full cooperation and hospitality to the visiting KP chief minister, rejecting allegations of mistreatment during the recent PTI rally.
Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Shah said the guest had been properly received and taken care of, adding that permission for holding rallies at Bagh-e-Jinnah was obtained from the federal government, as per established procedure.
He said that had the president advised against the reception, it would not have taken place.
He noted that the KP chief minister had publicly criticised the president, while the PTI had been advised to hold its gathering inside the designated ground but chose to remain on the roads instead.
He said the KP CM was provided full protocol and was brought through the safest possible route, with Sindh Police accompanying him throughout.
Referring to an incident that occurred a day earlier, the Sindh minister said an inquiry would be conducted. He added that the KP chief minister’s schedule was pre-planned and known to all concerned.
Rejecting claims of political pressure, Shah said that if there had been any such pressure, Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani would not have welcomed CM Afridi. He further said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had raised no complaints with the Sindh government.
