- PTI’s Haleem Adil slams Sindh government’s delay of NOC.
- Says police blocked containers and evicted sellers.
- Sindh Minister LG said the NOC was delayed only by two to three hours.
KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to hold a public rally in Karachi today after brief friction with the Sindh government over the venue and timing.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who is currently in Sindh, announced today’s public rally in the megacity. He arrived in Karachi on Friday for a three-day visit to the province as part of the PTI’s street mobilization movement to mark the first anniversary of the February 8, 2024 election “fraud”.
The rally will now take place at Jinnah Garden (Bagh-e-Jinnah) later in the evening following the issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Sindh administration.
Rally plans finalized late
PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh said the party would carry out the rally at Bagh-e-Jinnah after obtaining official permission.
He said the PTI had initially announced at 5 p.m. on Friday that the event would take place in front of the Mazar-e-Quaid public gate. However, the NOC was issued after 6:30 p.m., giving organizers little time to make their arrangements.
“The late issuance of the NOC created logistical challenges,” he said. “Nevertheless, the rally will take place today as planned.”
Sheikh added that the party had already planned street protests, but the provincial government advised the PTI to hold a single public rally instead of organizing road processions.
“The government itself asked us to avoid street gatherings and opt for a public meeting,” he said.
He also claimed that police evicted vendors and prevented containers from reaching the rally venue, describing the move as an attempt to hamper preparations for the rally.
“The Sindh government is trying to present itself in a positive light by allowing the rally,” Sheikh said, apparently referring to the late approval.
Sindh government downplays tensions
Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said the provincial administration had no intention of hindering the rally of the Imran Khan-led party.
“There was only a delay of two to three hours in issuing the NOC,” he said. “If PTI needs chairs, containers or manpower, we are ready to facilitate them.”
He expressed confidence that the party would respect the approved venue.
“There is still enough time for the PTI to finalize the preparations. They may hold the rally this evening or later in the night,” he said.
Shah suggested that the PTI should consider postponing the rally by a day to allow more time for preparations.
“The PTI should be given an extra day to organize the rally properly,” he said.
However, Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar issued a strong warning that any attempt to hold rallies on roads would not be tolerated.
“The PTI has obtained permission to hold its rally at Bagh-e-Jinnah. No protests will be allowed on the streets,” he said. “The government will not allow anyone to challenge the state mandate. »
KP-Sindh CMs meeting
A meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and his KP counterpart Afridi, scheduled for Saturday, was postponed due to official commitments, sources said.
Later, Minister Nasir Hussain Shah clarified that the meeting had not been officially fixed for Saturday and was now expected to take place on Monday.
PTI leaders rejected claims that the KP chief minister was eager to meet his Sindh counterpart. It is incorrect to say that CM Afridi was desperate for this meeting, Sheikh said, confirming that the meeting will take place on Monday.
