KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh on Saturday alleged that police opened fire on the party’s caravan comprising over 180 vehicles to deflate their tyres and disable them to continue their journey to Islamabad. Ten of the several hundred party workers and supporters travelling in the vehicles were injured in an ensuing clash with police, he said, adding that the police also detained around 100 PTI workers during the clash.

In a statement sent to Dawn and other media houses, Mr Sheikh said that party workers faced strong resistance from police in Shikarpur while heading towards the capital to participate in the Sunday protest to be held on a call given by founder of the party Imran Khan.

He said PTI Sindh general secretary Dr Masroor Siyal and deputy general secretary Rizwan Niazi as well as its Karachi president Raja Azhar and general secretary Arsalan Khalid and Jamal Siddiqui were leading the caravan along with him.

Mr Sheikh said that the caravan comprising over 50 buses, 30 vans and around 100 other vehicles had left Karachi early in the morning and on the way more workers and supporters hailing from Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana divisions joined it. They included leaders and other members of the party’s women, youth, lawyer and labour wings.

He claimed that in firing by the Shikarpur police, tyres of at least five vehicles were burst after which a clash took place between some workers and the police. Ten workers were injured in the clash, he said, and added that more than 100 workers were rounded up by the Shikarpur police during the clash.

He strongly condemned the police action which, he said, was aimed at preventing the caravan from reaching Islamabad.

However, he said, the caravan later resumed its peaceful journey. He said that PTI workers were determined to take part in the Islamabad protest to ensure that PTI’s demands were accepted and Imran Khan was also releases.

He deplored that all possible measures, like closing down bus termini in Islamabad, blocking motorways, and shutting down telecommunication system, were being taken to foil the march but tide of people was heading towards D-Chowk in Islamabad despite all odds.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2024