A Pakistan Day rally organised by the PTI on Sunday met “resistance” as it made its way to the Mazar-i-Quaid, according to a statement from the party.

According to the statement issued by party spokesperson Mohammed Ali Bozdar, the rally was led by PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh, Karachi President Raja Azhar, General Secretary Arsalan Khalid, and other party leaders.

The demonstration, which commenced from Empress Market, was scheduled to reach Mazar-i-Quaid. “However, law enforcement authorities placed barricades at multiple locations in an attempt to obstruct the march,” the statement read.

“Heavy police deployment was observed around the Press Club, while at Mazar-i-Quaid, officials allegedly used force to disperse participants, resulting in several PTI workers being manhandled,” the party alleged.

Condemning the police action, Haleem Adil Sheikh was quoted as saying, “We are patriotic Pakistanis, yet we are being stopped from celebrating Pakistan Day. We are carrying national flags, not weapons.”

He alleged that the Sindh government was operating under a “dictatorship” led by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, alleging that police were focusing on suppressing the PTI rather than curbing street crime in Karachi.

Raja Azhar also denounced the crackdown, questioning, “As Pakistani citizens, do we not have the right to celebrate Pakistan Day?”

In the statement, he claimed that Bilawal’s “illegitimate government” was nearing its end and predicted the downfall of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sindh.

“During the rally, participants waved both Pakistani and PTI flags while chanting slogans demanding the release of Imran Khan and criticising the government’s policies,” the statement read.

When contacted, South Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.com that police cordoned off the Karachi Press Club due to “security reasons” by parking buses on Sarwar Shaheed Road along others, and erecting temporary barriers.