KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday lashed out at the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government for using what it called state machinery to obstruct its political activities during Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s recent five-day visit to the province.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Insaf House, along with senior party leader Raja Azhar, PTI-Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh alleged that Karachi was “sealed” on Sept 6 and that PTI workers were arrested and mistreated, with women workers and relatives of political activists also allegedly subjected to harassment.

Raja Azhar claimed that more than 250 PTI workers had been arrested during the visit and alleged that violence and harassment took place at police stations.

The PTI leaders said the alleged crackdown reflected the Sindh government’s concern over the public response to CM Afridi, whose five-day visit, they claimed, demonstrated growing support for the party and its demand for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.

Says over 250 workers arrested, subjected to violence in Karachi

Mr Sheikh said the reception accorded to CM Afridi from the Sindh border to Karachi was a “clear message” to the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership. He said slogans demanding Imran Khan’s release were raised in several cities, while large crowds gathered in Nawabshah, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad. He described the reception in Umerkot, where the PTI’s Minority Wing and other groups organised a gathering, as historic.

He alleged that the Sindh government became “rattled” by the response and created hurdles for the visiting delegation. According to him, trenches were dug near Mirpurkhas, trucks were parked near Tando Allahyar and other measures were taken to disrupt the delegation’s route.

Mr Sheikh also criticised the Sindh government over the province’s economic and social conditions. He claimed that petrol had become around Rs100 per litre and diesel around Rs116 per litre more expensive over the past year.

He alleged that consumers were being charged more than Rs110 per litre in petroleum levy despite lower international crude oil prices. He also questioned payments of Rs2.935 trillion to independent power producers over 11 months, including Rs1.565 trillion in capacity payments, and demanded an explanation for what he described as an increasing burden on consumers.

The PTI leader also expressed concern over reported child deaths in Tharparkar, claiming that 61 children died while undergoing treatment in Mithi last month and that 315 deaths were recorded at Mithi Tharparkar Hospital over eight months.

He criticised the Sindh government over “inadequate healthcare facilities and malfunctioning reverse-osmosis plants,” saying the situation contradicted its claims of development. The PTI leaders urged the police to focus on rising street crime rather than political workers and said the PTI’s “peaceful political struggle” would continue until Imran Khan was released.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2026