Dawn - Home
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Mohammad Hussain KhanNews Desk
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday said he would not leave Sindh without holding a planned PTI gathering in Karachi, as his convoy was en route to the city.
asserted
convoy → say → city
The KP CM, accompanied by PTI’s provincial President Junaid Akbar, has been on a five-day public mobilisation campaign in Sindh for the party’s September 27 nationwide protest for the release of its founder Imran Khan and his immediate medical treatment at Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital.
asserted
CM → accompany → Hospital
Earlier in the day, the KP chief minister addressed party supporters in Tando Allahyar and Hyderabad, complaining that authorities were creating hurdles in his convoy’s route.
asserted
authorities → address → route
Speaking to reporters at night while en route to Karachi, Afridi said he would stay in Sindh until he held a rally in the provincial capital.
asserted
he → speak → capital
“If we cannot reach Karachi today, God willing, we will hold the rally tomorrow; if not tomorrow, then the day after.
asserted
we → reach → rally
“I will not take a single step out of Sindh without launching a street movement in Karachi.
asserted
I → take → Karachi
I will stay here until the objective is achieved.”
asserted
objective → stay → ?
Referring to Saturday’s comments by PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the KP CM said, “We are welcomed on social media, while on the other hand, roadblocks are being erected along our route.
asserted
roadblocks → refer → route
“I have already asked Bilawal that if he is not having all this done, then he should tell us who is doing it.
asserted
who → ask → it
Bring their names forward, then we will see what they do and what we do.
asserted
we → bring → what
“The people of Sindh will question you, because the government and police are all under your watch.
asserted
government → question → watch
If the police are not doing this, then remove the police from the scene and let whoever is responsible come forward,” Afridi contended.
asserted
Afridi → do → scene
In a post on X shortly after 12:30am on Monday, the PTI said Afridi was “about to reach Karachi Toll Plaza”.
asserted
Afridi → say → Plaza
About an hour before that, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh said on X that the caravan would “reach Karachi in any way by defying all the hurdles”.
asserted
caravan → say → hurdles
God willing, we will definitely reach Karachi,” the PTI leader had written at 9:44pm.
asserted
leader → reach → 9:44pm
In earlier posts on his X account, Sheikh said he was “clearing obstacles” that his convoy faced on Kotri bridge on the way out of Hyderabad.
asserted
convoy → say → Hyderabad
Karachi’s District East police, in a statement, said that “no public gatherings, rallies or processions will be allowed around Mazar-i-Quaid”, located at Shahrah-i-Quaideen, where the PTI has planned its rally.
asserted
PTI → say → rally
“If any gathering is held despite the lack of permission, legal action will be taken in accordance with the law,” it warned.
asserted
it → hold → law
Security arrangements at Mazar-i-Quaid had been “further strengthened in view of the current threat situation”, the police statement added, noting the deployment of additional police personnel.
asserted
statement → strengthen → personnel
“Surveillance at the entry and exit points of Mazar-i-Quaid has also been further tightened.”
asserted
Surveillance → tighten → Quaid
While the Karachi Traffic Police cited “security” for closing some routes around Mazar-i-Quaid, a senior police officer told Dawn that the closures had nothing to do with the PTI rally.
asserted
closures → cite → rally
The officer, who wished not to be named, said the roads leading to Mazar-i-Quaid were closed with containers as security agencies had issued a security threat.
asserted
agencies → wish → threat
The police officer said that the district administration had not given permission to the political party to hold a rally at the Mazar-i-Quaid because of the security threat.
asserted
administration → say → threat
However, the party may hold a rally on the Super Highway at Toll Plaza or near Jail Chowrangi as there were no “restrictions” on them for holding the same at the said venues.
uncertain
party → hold → venues
The senior officer said several party supporters were detained when they attempted to reach the Mazar-i-Quaid on Sunday evening.
asserted
they → say → evening
He said around 150-200 workers of the PTI gathered, adding that the police tried to stop them but they “resorted to attacking the policemen with stones, resulting in injuries to one policeman”.
asserted
they → say → policeman
“The law enforcers resorted to shelling to disperse them,” the police officer said, adding that a few party workers were also detained during the action.
asserted
workers → resort → action
A traffic police official, who wished to remain anonymous, also told Dawn that certain roads had been blocked in the metropolis because of a “red alert” issued by law enforcement authorities.
asserted
roads → wish → authorities
As of 6pm, the traffic police said both sides of Shahrah-i-Quaideen had been closed to traffic for “security”.
asserted
sides → say → security
As an alternative, traffic from Noorani Chowrangi was being diverted towards Khalid Bin Waleed Road, while traffic approaching Allah Wali Chowrangi was being diverted towards Tariq Road.
asserted
traffic → divert → Road
Shortly after 4pm, New MA Jinnah Road and the road near the Corridor-III parking plaza towards PP Chowrangi and Jail Chowrangi had been closed to traffic from both sides for security.
asserted
Road → close → security
Traffic was being diverted from Saddar Dawakhana towards the Star Gate side, while traffic from Jail Chowrangi was being diverted towards Kashmir Road and Tariq Road.
asserted
traffic → divert → Road
Afridi assails Punjab CM in Hyderabad speech
asserted
Afridi → assail → speech
Earlier in the day, CM Afridi addressed a huge welcome rally at Hyder Chowk in Hyderabad.
asserted
Afridi → address → Hyderabad
“Who does Hyderabad belong to?”, Afridi roared amidst applause from the crowd, whom he thanked for turning up to welcome him.
asserted
he → belong → him
“There are only two families ruling Pakistan – one from Sindh and the other from Punjab – but it was only PTI whose leader Imran Khan chose me, an ordinary worker, to be the KP CM,” Afridi said, referring to the PPP and PML-N.
“Tomorrow another worker is to become chief minister from PTI,” he added.
asserted
he → be → PTI
He urged youth to rise for their country and for themselves.
asserted
He → urge → themselves
“September 27 would mark a historic date and change the destiny of Pakistan,” he asserted, referring to the planned countrywide protest.
asserted
he → mark → protest
He assailed Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her recent remarks regarding other provinces and demanded an apology from her.
asserted
He → assail → her
Maryam had said on Saturday that Punjab faced a greater security threat from its neighbouring provinces than it did from India.
asserted
it → say → India
…and 35 more, not listed.
