KARACHI: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday staged a rally as a large number of its workers marched from the Karachi Press Club (KPC) to the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, demanding release of party’s founder Imran Khan.

Hundreds of participants, including women and children, gathered at the KPC in caravans from different parts of the city before moving towards Mazar-i-Quaid in a large number of vehicles.

The party claimed the rally a “successful power show defying all odds and obstacles created by the administration”.

Moving cars, motorbikes, pickups and other vehicles with workers carrying PTI flags, posters and dancing to the tunes of party songs, reached Mazar-i-Quaid before the sunset and dispersed peacefully after speeches of the leaders.

Haleem Adil accuses police of harassing workers, raiding his, other leaders’ home

The party accused the Sindh government of the Pakistan Peoples Party as well as the Karachi police of attempting to “sabotage” the peaceful activity as the law enforcement agency raided the houses of its several leaders, including Sindh chapter president Haleem Adil Sheikh and others before the rally.

Condemning police raids, Haleem Adil Sheikh while talking to the reporters said: “We had announced the rally several days ago. All of a sudden the police jumped in and started raiding our houses. They harassed our workers just to keep us away from exercising our democratic right. What kind of democracy is this? It’s worse than dictatorship. But let me be very clear. We won’t stop. Peaceful protest is our right and we will exercise it at every cost.”

Addressing the rally, he said that the rally was a reflection of the aspirations of Karachi’s people who wanted to see Imran Khan released.

“When the people of Karachi take to the streets, Imran Khan will also be freed from prison. The people of Karachi have always supported Imran Khan, as evidenced by the overwhelming mandate in the general elections when PTI won 22 National Assembly and 35 Provincial Assembly seats, which were later stolen through a conspiracy with fake Form-47,” he added.

He also condemned recent actions, mentioning a police raid on his house. “Today, the heavy police presence at my home shows their authoritarian mindset. We are peaceful citizens, exercising our constitutional rights.”

He criticised the use of force against peaceful protesters in Rawalpindi the previous day, where shelling and firing occurred and praised Rawalpindi citizens for their loyalty to Imran Khan.

Mr Sheikh vowed to continue the struggle for true freedom, stating that the movement for Khan’s release and judicial independence would persist.

He echoed KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s sentiment that “those who respond only to force won’t heed words”, and announced plans for a massive public gathering in Karachi soon.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024