KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a protest near the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Wednesday to mark three years since the imprisonment of party founder Imran Khan, with demonstrators demanding his immediate release.
The protest caused significant traffic disruptions in Karachi’s Saddar area after authorities blocked roads leading to the Karachi Press Club by placing containers, resulting in severe congestion and leaving commuters stranded for several hours.
According to a police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, several PTI workers and party leaders were detained near the protest venue as security personnel moved to prevent demonstrators from reaching the Press Club.
The official said police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse the protesters after tensions escalated. Following the police action, the roads were cleared and traffic flow was gradually restored later in the evening.
In a statement, PTI said demonstrations were also held across several cities in Sindh, including Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Umerkot, Mithi, and other districts, with participants calling for the release of Imran Khan.
The Karachi protest was led by PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh, Karachi President Raja Azhar, PTI Sindh General Secretary Dr Masroor Sial, and Karachi General Secretary Arsalan Khalid, who marched alongside party workers toward the Karachi Press Club.
According to the party, police blocked all routes leading to the Press Club by placing containers and sealing the surrounding area in an effort to stop protesters from reaching the designated venue.
PTI claimed that after being prevented from entering the area, its workers gathered near Zaibunnisa Street and Fawara Chowk in Saddar, where they continued their demonstration peacefully.
The party alleged that police later resorted to tear gas shelling and baton charges against peaceful protesters, resulting in injuries to several party workers.
Police officials maintained that the situation was brought under control after the operation, while traffic was restored once the demonstration concluded. PTI, however, reiterated its demand for Imran Khan’s release and vowed to continue its political campaign and peaceful protests across the country.
