KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday accused the Karachi police of arresting many party workers ahead of a workers’ convention at the party leader’s residence in the Safoora Goth area, a charge the police vehemently denied.
In a video posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), police officers were seen forcibly entering Mahesar House, the PTI leader’s residence, and detaining an unidentified person. The PTI characterized the police action as an “intervention”.
Following the incident, PTI’s Sher Afzal Marwat, who had addressed a PTI rally in Seaview earlier in the day, called on party supporters to gather at Al Asif Square in anticipation of the convention.
Marwat claimed that the police surrounded Mahesar House and arrested around 25 workers outside the residence. “I call upon all the workers to reach Mahesar House and if we gather in larger numbers, the police will not be able to resist us,” he said.
He stressed that PTI does not require permission to hold a convention on private property and asked party members for support. “I need your help and that’s why I’m asking you to come here,” Marwat urged.
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PTI Karachi Spokesperson Falak Almas told Dawn.com that Marwat was scheduled to address a labor rally at Mahesar House, the residence of PTI Karachi General Secretary, Advocate Rehman Mahesar. Almas claimed that police who were already there detained many of the workers and prevented them from reaching the site. She further claimed that the police were waiting for Marwat’s arrival to arrest him.
Contrary to these claims, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) East Syed Irfan Bahadur denied any arrest of PTI workers and refuted the allegations of the police intending to arrest Marwat.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Syed Asad Raza, when asked about the police action during the PTI rally in Seaview, clarified that the law enforcement agencies are not imposing any restrictions or obstacles. “The police allowed them to exercise freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, which allowed them to assemble in a peaceful and democratic manner. The rally took place and the participants dispersed peacefully,” he said.
