SUKKUR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi received an enthusiastic reception upon arriving at Khamoon Shaheed along Sindh’s border with Punjab in Ghotki district on Thursday, marking the start of his five-day visit to the province.

Arriving from Rahim Yar Khan, Afridi was accompanied by PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja, MNA Makhdoomzada Zain Hussain Qureshi, KP PTI President Junaid Akbar, provincial ministers Meena Khan Afridi and Shafi Jan, MNA Amir Dogar and Adil Bazai.

They were received by Sindh PTI President Haleem Adil Sheikh, General Secretary Dr Masroor Siyal, Mian Mohammad Aslam and Mir Iftikhar Lund, amidst a large turnout of party workers and residents.

Addressing the crowd, Chief Minister Afridi expressed gratitude for the reception, noting that the overwhelming turnout suggested previous participation records would be surpassed. He criticised the provincial administration, asserting that citizens were witnessing persistent injustices and a lack of development under the current regime.

Sohail Afridi, Salman Akram Raja, Zain Qureshi and other leaders accorded warm welcome in Ghotki

Mr Afridi declared that the visible public enthusiasm signalled an end to “Zardari rule” in Sindh, adding that the people would secure their rights through PTI founder Imran Khan.

Turning to the planned Sept 27 mobilisation, Afridi announced that the street movement had formally entered Sindh, expressing confidence that citizens from Karachi to Gilgit-Baltistan would take to the streets on that date.

PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja reaffirmed the central leadership’s commitment to protecting Sindh’s land and water resources, stating that the current rulers lacked the mandate to dictate the province’s future. He emphasised that all residents, regardless of faith, are equal heirs to the land.

MNA Makhdoomzada Zain Hussain Qureshi congratulated citizens for gathering despite administrative hurdles, describing the turnout as the “first drop of rain” in breaking political oppression. He stated that the nation stood with Imran Khan and demanded the immediate release of Khan, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and other political prisoners. PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh further alleged that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had ruined the province over the past 18 years, accusing its leadership of compromising on provincial water rights.

The visit marks the beginning of an extensive outreach campaign across Sindh.

According to the official schedule, Chief Minister Afridi was scheduled to travel on Sept 3 from Ghotki through Murid Shakh, Guddu, Kashmore and Kandhkot to Jacobabad.

On Sept 4, the delegation will visit Shikarpur, Garhi Yasin, Shahdadkot, Qambar, Larkana, Tando Masti Khan and Naushahro Feroze.

The tour proceeds on Sept 5 through Nawabshah, Qazi Ahmed, Sanghar, and Mirpurkhas, reaching Umerkot.

On Sept 6, Afridi will travel through Tando Allahyar and Hyderabad to Karachi, where he is scheduled to address the Sindh High Court Bar Association before departing for Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2026