Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon addresses the press conference in Karachi on Tuesday. Photo: Express
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Tuesday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of trying to reproduce the events of May 9 during Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s recent visit to Karachi. He said the provincial government had shown restraint and refrained from registering any case despite repeated provocations.
Last week, CM Afridi visited Sindh, holding a rally in Karachi and also visiting Hyderabad and Jamshoro during his four-day trip. The rally, initially planned at Bagh-e-Jinnah, was disrupted en route with the PTI alleging that authorities blocked key routes to prevent party workers from reaching the venue and placed containers along the CM’s route. Despite the roadblocks, the large turnout at the venue forced him to address his supporters at Numaish Chowrangi.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Memon said the Sindh government had shown patience and tolerance but its decency had been taken advantage of. He made it clear that the provincial administration would not allow any strike related to wheel locks on February 8.
Memon said that a few days earlier, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister visited Karachi and after learning about the visit, the Sindh government contacted him to ensure full security and necessary facilities. He added that a threat alert was also received in advance but was deliberately not made public in order to prevent anyone from exploiting the situation.
According to the Information Minister, Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah had contacted the PTI leadership and discussions initially continued in a positive environment. “Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani hosted the PTI leaders and on the first day it was mutually agreed that some areas would be visited while others would be avoided for security reasons,” he said. However, he added, PTI leaders visited the central district despite advice to the contrary.
Read: KP CM thanks people of Sindh, criticizes provincial government for handling PTI
“What would the Sindh government have gained if you were stuck for a few hours? » » asked Mémon. “What would we gain by keeping you stuck in traffic for four hours? »
Referring to permission for a PTI rally, Memon said the approval was sought verbally and had already been granted. He added that five minutes after receiving the written permission, PTI leaders issued a statement announcing that they would not hold the rally at Bagh-i-Jinnah and would instead hold it on the road. He said that before any gathering at Bagh-i-Jinnah, the traffic police prepares a comprehensive plan and Nasir Shah had even offered the KP Chief Minister additional support, including manpower, if necessary.
Memon alleged that the PTI had once again tried to stage an incident similar to that of May 9, saying that despite stone pelting at police, vandalism of media vehicles and bad behavior towards women journalists, the Sindh government had not registered any case. He described such conduct as part of the PTI’s political tradition and said it reflected a mindset shaped by leaders who favor chaos and rebellion.
Despite these incidents, he said, no complaint has been registered against the PTI. “Their politics is based on disorder, while ours is democratic,” Memon said, adding that the decency of the provincial government has been unfairly exploited. He accused the PTI of conspiring against Pakistan and its institutions, saying that despite hospitality and sharp ideological differences, the Sindh government responded with restraint.
Reiterating his stand, the information minister said the Sindh government would not allow a wheel lock strike on February 8.
Read also: Govt reprimands CM Afridi for remarks on evidence
Memon said the PTI leaders enjoyed a respect that they themselves never accorded to the provincial government. He added that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s schedule had already been fixed but a message was conveyed that if he could not come, Sindh leaders were ready to visit him instead.
He further alleged that the PTI deliberately chose prohibited routes and locations, attempted to enter areas where permission was denied and violated administrative instructions. “The question is which mission they were on; only God knows,” he said, adding that the PTI later raised objections after deliberately using restricted routes.
The information minister also criticized the former PTI-led government’s policy towards militant groups, questioning whether people had forgotten the discussions about opening Taliban offices in Pakistan. He asked who ordered the release of arrested Taliban leaders during the tenure of the Pakistan People’s Party. “Under the PPP government, operations were carried out against the Taliban, but after Imran Khan took over and Shah Mahmood Qureshi became the foreign minister, the same Taliban leaders were released,” he said.
He alleged that convicted and detained people were released without following legal procedures or going to court. “If a government wants to release convicted people, it must respect the law and the courts,” he said, adding that during this period the courts were bypassed and Taliban leaders were released.
