Law enforcement authorities in Karachi took aggressive action against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters participating in a motorcycle rally. The rally was organized to exhibit solidarity with the incarcerated party chairman and voice grievances against alleged political suppression.
The incident unfolded as PTI die-hard activists gathered at Mazaar-e-Quaid in response to a call from PTI Karachi Chairman Khurram Sherzaman. The planned rally, which began at Nursery Market and was headed for Mazaar-e-Quaid, faced a major police presence around Quaid’s Mausoleum.
As the rally approached Khudada Chowrangi, the police abruptly halted the procession, deploying batons to disperse the participants. Numerous rally-goers were arrested, while others bore the brunt of bamboo stick strikes, resulting in injuries. Sherzaman, the Karachi Chairman, who had issued the rally call, refrained from participating, and senior leaders also abstained from facing the police crackdown.
The PTI supporters aimed to highlight what they considered to be false legal cases, unwarranted arrests, and an unspoken prohibition on the party’s political activities. However, their demonstration met with a strong police response, leading to hours-long confrontations at Naumaish Chowrangi.
In the lead-up to the rally, law enforcement undertook overnight raids in a bid to thwart the mobilization effort. Utilizing intelligence gathered from local informants, police apprehended over 60 PTI leaders and activists from various districts across the city. Notably, Malir district police detained 12 PTI workers from areas including Bin Qasim, Quaidabad, and Shah Latif.
East Zone Police took into custody 32 PTI workers, who were reportedly organizing individuals for the bike rally in neighborhoods like Khudadad Colony, Numaish, Shahrae Faisal, Karasaz, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Jamshed Road, and Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Meanwhile, Korangi Police apprehended 11 PTI workers after conducting overnight raids.
Central Zone police carried out crackdowns in Ayesha Manzil, North Karachi, and Nazimabad, leading to the detention of five additional PTI workers. The sweeping arrests and confrontations at the rally site reflect the escalating political tensions prevailing in the region.
The clash between the PTI and law enforcement has ignited a broader conversation about the state of political freedoms and civil rights in the country, as supporters and critics alike question the heavy-handed response to a rally aimed at peaceful expression of solidarity.
