PTI marks its presence in Karachi

PTI supporters block major arteries in city with sit-ins, containers; public transport, attendance in educational institutions, offices remains thin

Sindh govt learns lesson from Faisalabad incident, limits police action against protesters

Imran Khan vows to keep pressure on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with protests to make ‘Naya Pakistan’

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) succeeded in having its presence felt in the stronghold of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) as most of Karachi Friday submitted to PTI’s shutdown call – a part of the party’s Plan C to pressure the government into forming a judicial commission to probe electoral rigging in 2013 general elections.

Transport in the city remained scanty as public transport was kept off the roads as PTI blocked main arteries of the city with sit-ins, containers and by burning tyres. Court activities were heavily affected and prisoners could not be presented before the courts. Litigators also faced problems and port operations were also severely affected due to the closure of roads.

Major shopping areas were closed and attendance in most public and private educational institutions and offices was also thin.

However, unlike in Faisalabad, there was no untoward incident or loss of life as the Sindh government and MQM – which claims Karachi to be its power center – did not interfere with the protesters.

Addressing his supporters at Nursery and at Jinnah International Airport, PTI Chairman Imran Khan during his short address, which was somewhat a disappointment to his supporters who wanted to hear more from their leader, Khan repeatedly thanked the residents of Karachi for sacrificing a day for the cause of “Naya Pakistan”.

He said that his party’s countrywide protests would put pressure on the government to provide justice to PTI.

“We are protesting for the past four months as the government is denying justice,” he said.

The PTI chief said his party would expose “Gullu Butts” of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and those of its Faisalabad leader Rana Sanaullah.

Khan said he would exert further pressure on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and that for the first time the people responsible for rigging in the elections would be punished through the investigations of the proposed Judicial Commission.

PTI chairman said that after a Judicial Commission is established, new elections would be held and a “new Pakistan” would be made which would have leaders who would be responsible and answerable to the common man.

PTI chairman further said that “Naya Pakistan” would have supremacy of merit and law and “where every citizen will get justice”.

Khan confidently stated that the people of Lahore would respond positively to PTI’s shutdown call on December 15.

PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the party would consider calling off its protest when the Judicial Commission is formed. He appreciated the Sindh Government, saying there were no “Gullu Butts” during PTI’s protest in Karachi unlike as in Faisalabad.

In a tweet, PTI leader Arif Alvi said the essential components of the city’s daily operations, such as transporters and traders, were supporting the party in its bid to hold the sit-ins and protests at various points of the city.

“We have shown what we had been trying to show all along that our party can peace fully shut down any city and in fact the whole country,” he said.

Responding to a question he said, “We are not only prepared to shut down Lahore next but the whole country.”

PTI Sindh President Nadir Leghari when asked about the financial loss incurred during the strike calls in Karachi, said, “As a party we have a much bigger objective which is to change the destiny of Pakistan.”

PROTESTS AND SIT-INS:

According to reports, PTI workers came out early in the morning and started blocking main roads including Shahrah-e-Faisal, MA Jinnah Road, Super Highway and National Highway with various hurdles including containers and also burnt tyres.

Shahrah-e-Faisal was blocked at Nursery, Star Gate and Chota Gate. Road at Teen Talwar was blocked in Clifton; Kalapul and Qayyumabad in Defence and roads leading to Power House Chorangi, Nazimabad and SITE area were also blocked. In Malir, National Highway was blocked at Munzil Pump and Super Highway was blocked at Sohrab Goth. Mehran Highway was also blocked.

MA Jinnah road was blocked at Numaish Chorangi; Jinnah bridge and University Road at Hassan Square; MT Khan Road and Sultanabad Road were also blocked. Ghani Chorangi, Habib Bank Chorangi, Rasheedabad in SITE and Baldia town were also shutdown for traffic.

The road connecting Karachi with Balochistan was shut at Hub River Road.

“We decided not to bring public transport to roads after a senior PTI member threatened his party would not allow any public transport to come to roads,” Karachi Transport Union President Irshad Bokhari said, adding that roads in the city had been blocked by protesters burning tyres.

But it was business as usual in certain areas including Azizabad and other strongholds of MQM.

POLICE BATON-CHARGE PTI WORKERS:

Meanwhile, police opened Nursery and Rashid Minhas Road for traffic, summoned additional force and formulated an alternative traffic plan while resorting to baton charging to disperse PTI workers at Quaidabad. Workers had blocked Nursery area at Shahrah-e-Faisal when the Rapid Response Force forcibly got the road opened for traffic.

Earlier, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon alleged that PTI backed down from its commitment of staging sit-ins at nine places but added that police and law enforcement agencies will not react.

Karachi police chief Abdul Qadir Thebo reportedly alleged that PTI wanted to make a “big news story” in Karachi but “the police are vigilant and would not let it do so”.

Speaking to media, Thebo said PTI’s leadership made efforts to shut emergency relief units besides creating hurdles in the way of police and Rangers in performing their duties.

He said police had not resorted to any baton-charge, adding that no one was booked or arrested and that the situation was under control.

On the directives of higher officials, police, to a limit, are not taking any action, said Thebo, adding that PTI had been given a free hand for “democracy”.