Karachi: Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has taken a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following the party’s recent rally in Karachi, saying that if PTI lacked enough supporters to fill the venue, they could have asked for help. His remarks came in response to criticism and political debate surrounding the PTI public gathering held at Bagh-e-Jinnah under the leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi.
Speaking to the media, Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that Bagh-e-Jinnah is a large ground and filling it is not an easy task. He remarked sarcastically that if PTI did not have sufficient people to fill the ground, they could have approached others for assistance. “If PTI didn’t have enough people to fill the ground, they should have told us—we would have provided them,” he said, adding fuel to the already heated political exchange.
Commenting specifically on the decision of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi to hold a rally in Karachi, the mayor questioned the priorities of the PTI leadership. He suggested that instead of focusing on governance and development in their own province, PTI leaders were attempting to create political disruption in other provinces. “Rather than working in his own province, the chief minister wants to paralyze other provinces,” Murtaza Wahab said.
The mayor’s remarks come amid rising political tensions following PTI’s Karachi rally, which was accompanied by clashes between party workers and the police. The event sparked controversy not only due to crowd size debates but also because of law-and-order concerns and allegations of police action against party supporters.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani also weighed in on the situation, drawing a sharp distinction between peaceful protest and PTI’s political activities. He said that peaceful protest and PTI were “two entirely different things,” implying that the party’s demonstrations often cross the line into disorder. His comments echoed the stance taken by other government figures who have criticized PTI’s protest strategy in recent months.
The rally itself was led by KP Chief Minister Suhail Afridi, who addressed supporters at Numaish Chowrangi in Karachi after the main gathering at Bagh-e-Jinnah. During his speech, Afridi alleged that PTI workers were subjected to police brutality at various locations across the city. Despite this, he claimed that a large number of people still managed to gather for the rally.
“Today, our workers faced police action at different places, yet we are still here in such large numbers,” Suhail Afridi said while addressing the crowd. He accused authorities of trying to suppress PTI’s political activities and restrict its right to peaceful assembly.
Afridi also criticized the treatment his party received in different provinces. He alleged that the Punjab government had behaved unfairly with PTI during previous protests and that the Sindh government had also failed to treat the party justly during the Karachi rally. “The Punjab government did not treat us well, and the Sindh government also did not treat us well,” he said.
Outlining PTI’s future strategy, the KP chief minister announced that the party would next focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it plans to launch a street movement. He said this movement would be used to convey the message of PTI’s founding chairman across the country. According to Afridi, PTI aims to mobilize supporters nationwide through sustained protests and political activism.
The Karachi rally has also drawn responses from other Sindh government figures. Provincial leaders have rejected PTI’s allegations, arguing that the Sindh government did not place undue pressure on the party. They have pointed out that senior PTI leaders were welcomed in Karachi, questioning claims of discrimination or mistreatment.
Political analysts say the exchange of statements reflects the broader polarization in Pakistan’s political landscape. They note that rallies and protests have increasingly become flashpoints for confrontation between opposition parties and governments at both federal and provincial levels. Crowd size, police conduct, and venue access have all become contentious issues used by rival parties to score political points.
The debate over the Karachi rally also highlights the ongoing struggle between PTI and the ruling coalition to control the political narrative. While PTI portrays itself as facing systematic obstruction, government representatives argue that law enforcement actions are necessary to maintain order and public safety.
As political rhetoric continues to escalate, observers warn that repeated confrontations on the streets could further strain relations between political actors and deepen divisions. They stress the need for dialogue, restraint, and respect for democratic norms, including the right to peaceful protest.
