Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Monday that the Sindh government had not upheld the honour of the ajrak and topi and criticised its treatment of its “guests”.

The chief minister is currently on a visit to Karachi, where he staged a rally at the Mazar-i-Quaid on Sunday.

In an address to the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) in Karachi on Monday, Afridi thanked all the SHCBA members for their warm welcome and generous hospitality, adding that people from all over Pakistan — including Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Balochis — of every school of thought were present there.

In contrast to this welcome from the public, however, he decried the provincial government’s treatment of him and his guests in Karachi, saying that they had “desecrated” the honour of the Sindhi ajrak and topi.

“I think every Sindhi will fully condemn this,” he said amid an outcry of support from the crowd.

The KP CM also criticised the fact that the constitution and law were being “toyed with,” saying that it was not only damaging institutions but the whole of Pakistan.

“On one hand, they are selling our national assets — they auctioned PIA on OLX,” he said, referring to the recent auction of the national airline. “But here they have sold justice.”

Afridi added that the general public at least had hope that the judiciary would provide them justice and stand with them.

He said that, although three judges in Islamabad had issued an order that he be allowed to meet the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, “the jail superintendent picks up this order and throws it away”.

“We are accused of protest politics,” he added. “But our Constitution allows us to do this, so we will do protest politics.”

He further claimed that the judiciary was not cooperating with the party, adding that he had called the chief justice repeatedly but received no answer.

“We are being put against the wall, so the only way left is for us to protest,” he said.

The chief minister affirmed that he would always stand beside those who turned out in support of the supremacy of the Constitution and the law, saying, “We have to fight for our rights ourselves … we will not get freedom on a plate.

“If we do not raise our voice, then more pressure will be put on us.”

Afridi further said that the passport of one province’s chief minister had been blocked, saying that the people of the province were being discriminated against.

However, he added that his leader, Imran, had always supported peaceful struggle.

Regarding the economy, the KP CM said that it was facing a very bad situation, with people “fleeing” Pakistan while unemployment had risen to 7.1 per cent.

“These people are building their properties abroad,” he said, adding, “These people are bound to answer to us and one day it will definitely happen”.

The chief minister told the crowd that he had come to Karachi as his [Imran] leader had directed him to call for a street movement and that he hoped for “full support” from them.

Expressing his thanks, he said, “I hope the rule of law will come to Pakistan one day.”

‘No Section 144 can stop us’: Salman Akram Raja

Addressing the ceremony, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said, “We talk about the constitution, we talk about the law, this is our job. No section 144 can stop us”.

“Today, our rights are being attacked again and again,” said the PTI general secretary.

He stressed that the “living Constitution and law” must be restored.

Raja also said that Karachi’s vote had been robbed “in an attempt to take away the rights of the people”.

The PTI leader said that whenever the Constitution had been attacked, the SHC had been the first to raise its voice.

“The Pakistani nation is alive, due to which the chief minister of KP has been elected,” he said. “If the vote is stolen in front of you, if the judiciary is attacked, how can we remain silent? We are an alive and proud people, we have to fight for our rights.”

He added, “This country was not made for the elite. This country is a country of farmers, no matter which province they are from“.

“We stand like a lead wall against oppression.”

SHCBA President Jamali says lawyers will participate ‘fully’ in KP convention

President of the High Court Bar Muhammad Haseeb Jamali, addressing the event, called Sindh a land of peace.

“Along with peace, this land also belongs to those who have raised their voice against oppression,” he said.

The president stressed that the bar would talk about its rights as it was independent and did not belong to any party.

He added that every citizen of this country held equal opportunities under the law.

Jamali further said that lawyers of the bar had protested the 26th Amendment, the 27th Amendment and the issue of Karoonjhar as they happened.

“We are not part of any revenge politics, nor do we support it.”

“Hold a convention in KP — we will participate in it fully,” he said.

“This Pakistan is dear to all of us. Lawyers built the country; lawyers will save it,” he added.

‘Only want supremacy of Constitution’: Amir Nawaz Warraich

Sindh Bar Council Member and head of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) Amir Nawaz Warraich, also addressed the ceremony, welcoming all those present.

He said that when any bad time came about, the bar association raised its voice against it.

“Whenever there is talk of supremacy of law and putting a curb on the Constitution, we raise our voice,” he said. “We do not support any party but only want the supremacy of the Constitution.”

Warraich added that the KBA would continue to protest against the recently passed Constitutional Amendment until the Constitution was restored to its rightful form.

Visit to Mazar-i-Quaid

Earlier in the day, the KP chief minister paid a visit to Mazar-i-Quaid, where he had also criticised the Sindh government’s treatment of the PTI delegation.

Speaking to the media, he called Sindhis a “proud nation” and said that the imposition of “such people” on a proud nation was a cruelty.

“Punjab’s false government also did this; Sindh’s false government also did this,” he said.

However, he said that the people of Pakistan were respectable and proud, and always treated the guests from any province with respect.

“This is not even one per cent of Pakistan that does such actions,” he said. “The remaining 99pc of the Pakistani nation is extremely proud, brave, courageous and hospitable.”

Salman Akram Raja also spoke to reporters at the mausoleum, saying that after “three excellent days” in Karachi, they had seen the public’s “love for democracy, for Imran Khan and for human rights” as well as the force of the state, including its refusal to allow them to hold a rally even after gaining permission.

“This is all a part of Pakistan,” he said. “We are fighting for a beautiful Pakistan, for the realisation of the Quaid’s dream for Pakistan under Imran Khan’s leadership.

“Today, we have come to renew our pledge that we will create that Pakistan.”